President Tinubu Announces Free Nationwide Transportaion for Christmas

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has approved free train services nationwide ahead of the Christmas holidays. The initiative, which aims to alleviate transport challenges during the festive period, will run from 20 December 2024 to 5 January 2025.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja on Monday. The free services are expected to provide relief to thousands of Nigerians travelling for the Christmas season.

In addition to the transport announcement, the Federal Government revealed that the University of Abuja will be renamed Yakubu Gowon University, in honour of Nigeria’s former military leader, General Yakubu Gowon. The name change is a tribute to Gowon’s contributions to the country.

The meeting also saw discussions on the 2025 national budget, with Finance Minister Wale Edun expressing optimism that the Appropriation Bill will encourage greater private sector participation in the economy.

Idris confirmed that the current FEC meeting was the last for the year, with the cabinet now on recess until 6 January 2025.