PM Abiy Ahmed Announces Launch of Ethiopia’s First Natural Gas-Powered City Buses, 50% Fare Cut

Addis Ababa, October 30, 2026 (FMC) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced the launch of his country’s first 26 city buses converted from conventional fuel to natural gas, marking a new step in efforts to reduce fuel imports and make public transportation more affordable.

In a social media post published today, the Prime Minister said the buses had entered service in Addis Ababa following several months of work to transport locally produced natural gas to the capital, establish refueling stations and retrofit the vehicles.

He said the transition would significantly reduce foreign currency expenditure on fuel, lower public transportation operating costs and cut passenger fares by half.

PM Abiy noted that the conversions were carried out locally, demonstrating Ethiopia’s growing domestic technical capacity and progress in technology transfer.

He also announced that 400 additional new natural gas-powered buses would arrive soon, as the country moves to reduce its dependence on conventional fuels in public transportation.

The Prime Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining initiatives that deliver tangible and lasting improvements in citizens’ lives, particularly in the food, housing and transportation sectors.