High fuel prices push Nigeria’s transport fares higher in May

Nigerians dug deeper into their pockets for transportation in May 2026, as fares for buses, motorcycles, air travel, and water transport maintained an upward trajectory.

The persistent rise reflects the lingering impact of elevated fuel prices and high operating costs, despite a relative softening in global crude oil prices, according to the latest Transport Fare Watch report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to the report, the cost of commuting within Nigerian cities rose by 2.43 percent month-on-month, with the average fare hitting N1,431.25 in May, up from N1,397.27 in April.

On a year-on-year basis, intra-city bus fares jumped by 38.63 percent, underscoring the severe erosion of disposable income for urban commuters.

Also, the average fare for long-distance bus journeys rose by 0.96 percent to N9,699.55 in May, compared to the previous month. This represents a 21.89 percent increase from the corresponding period in 2025.

“Transport operators are passing the burden of high diesel and petrol prices, alongside the astronomical cost of vehicle maintenance, directly to consumers,” an industry analyst noted.

Commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, recorded the sharpest annual increase among all transport categories. The average fare surged by 52.45 percent year-on-year to N1,072.51 in May, up 3.56 percent from April.

Domestic air travel remained premium and costly. The average one-way airfare on selected routes edged up slightly by 0.12 percent month-on-month to N157,552.19. Annually, airfares grew by 20.86 percent, driven primarily by foreign exchange scarcity affecting aircraft maintenance and the volatile pricing of aviation fuel (Jet A1).

Meanwhile, water transport fares rose 2.41 percent month-on-month to N2,276.48, representing a 30.88 percent increase compared to May 2025.

State by state analysis showed wide variations in transport costs. Ondo State recorded the highest average intercity bus fare at N11,080, while Kwara State had the lowest at N7,969.29.

For bus journeys within cities, Zamfara State recorded the highest average fare at N1,878.80, while Abia State had the lowest at N890.05.

Kano State posted the highest average airfare at N184,139.29, followed by Lagos State at N176,971.65. Kaduna State recorded the highest motorcycle fare at N1,720.76, while Rivers State had the highest average water transport fare at N6,893.55.