Bus fares paid by commuters within a city in Nigeria per drop surged by 26.71 percent year on year, driven by rising fuel costs, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) transport fare watch for February.
- +Intracity bus fares jump 26.71% amid rising fuel prices
The report showed that the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased to N1,195.75 in February 2026, from N943.68 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
The report showed that the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased to N1,195.75 in February 2026, from N943.68 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. On a monthly basis, it surged by 0.74 percent from N1,186.98 in January 2026.
In February, the ongoing Middle East conflict between the U.S/Israel-Iran, global oil market tensions, and domestic pricing adjustments led to higher transportation costs, making people spend more on mobility.
The transport fare watch report covers bus journey within the city per drop constant route; bus journey intercity (state route) charge per person; air fare charge for specified routes single journey; journey by motorcycle (Okada) per drop; and waterway passenger transport.
The report also showed that the average fare paid by commuters for an intercity bus journey per drop year on year increased by 6.13 percent to N8,108.81, from N7,640.34 in February 2025, but dropped by 4.65 percent from N8,504.39 in January 2026.
In air travel, the average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes for a single journey was N153,647.95, showing an increase of 1.51 percent compared to the previous month (January 2026). On a year-on -year basis, the fare rose by 21.38 percent from N126,586.38 in February 2025.
The average transport fare paid on motorcycle (Okada) transportation was N920.95, an increase of 4.82 percent when compared with the value recorded in January 2026 (N878.60). On a year-on-year basis, the fare increased by 53.26 percent when compared with February 2025 (N600.93).
For water transport (waterway passenger transportation), the average fare paid in February 2026 was N2,097.30, which indicates an increase of 0.55 percent on a monthly basis. Year-on-year, it increased by 31.66 percent from N1,593.02.
Abia state recorded the highest fare for intercity bus travel (state route charged per person fare), with N9,490.95, followed by Ogun with N9,402.26. The least fare was recorded in Kwara with N6,190.50, followed by Edo with N6,650.00.
Lagos state recorded the highest bus journey within the city (per drop constant route) in February 2026 with N1,537.09, followed by Taraba with N1,405.36. On the other hand, Abia recorded the least with N699.17, followed by Adamawa with N700.
Similarly, Kano recorded the highest air transport charges (for specified routes, single journeys) with N187,742.40, followed by Ogun with N175,500.00. Conversely, Gombe recorded the least fare with N131,290.00, followed by Bauchi with N135,650.88.
Kaduna state recorded the highest motorcycle transport fare with N1,500, followed by Lagos with N1,416.67. Adamawa and Akwa Ibom recorded the least fare with N650, followed by Sokoto with N688.70.
For water transportation, Rivers recorded the highest fare with N6,560, followed by Bayelsa with N5,338.49, while the lowest fare was recorded in Borno with N880, followed by Taraba with N1,055.77.
