Transport Costs Rise Across Nigeria As Intra-City Bus Fare Climbs 39% In One Year
Nigerians paid higher fares for buses, flights, motorcycles and water transport in May despite only modest increases in inflation.
Nigerians paid higher fares for buses, flights, motorcycles and water transport in May despite only modest increases in inflation.
Average transport fares across Nigeria continued their upward trend in May 2026, with commuters paying more for bus, motorcycle, air and water transportation despite relatively modest monthly inflation.
The average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within Nigerian cities rose to N1,431.25 per trip in May 2026, according to the latest Transport Fare Watch report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
The figure represents a 2.43% increase from the N1,397.27 recorded in April 2026 and a 38.63% year-on-year rise from N1,032.46 paid in May 2025, underscoring persistent transportation cost pressures despite easing inflation in some sectors of the economy.
The report showed that transport costs increased across virtually all major categories during the month, including intercity bus travel, domestic air transport, motorcycle (Okada) services and water transportation, with motorcycle rides recording the sharpest annual increase.
According to the NBS, the average fare for intercity bus travel climbed to N9,699.55 in May, representing a 0.96% increase from N9,607.41 in April and a 21.89% rise compared with N7,957.41 recorded in May 2025.
Similarly, the average airfare on specified domestic routes increased marginally to N157,552.19, up 0.12% month-on-month and 20.86% higher than the N130,361.85 recorded in the corresponding period last year.
Motorcycle transport recorded the highest annual increase among all transport categories, with the average fare rising to N1,072.51. This represented a 3.56% increase from April and a 52.45% year-on-year jump.
Water transport fares also rose, with commuters paying an average of N2,276.48 in May, up 2.41% from the previous month and 30.88% higher than the N1,739.32 recorded in May 2025.
The NBS noted that although monthly increases were relatively modest, transport costs remained elevated across the country.
The report also highlighted significant disparities in transport fares across states and geopolitical zones.
Ondo State recorded the highest average intercity bus fare at N11,080, closely followed by Abia State at N11,066.13, while Kwara and Edo states recorded the lowest fares.
For intra-city bus transportation, Zamfara State posted the highest average fare at N1,878.80, followed by Taraba State at N1,771.96. Abia and Adamawa states recorded the lowest city bus fares.
Kano State recorded the highest average domestic airfare at N184,139.29, ahead of Lagos State at N176,971.65, while Gombe and Nasarawa states posted the lowest airfares.
Kaduna State recorded the highest average motorcycle fare at N1,720.76, while Rivers State had the highest average water transport fare at N6,893.55.
At the regional level, the South-West recorded the highest average fares for city bus services, intercity bus travel and motorcycle transportation, while the South-South posted the highest average water transport fares.
Transportation remains one of the largest household expenditure items in Nigeria, with rising fares continuing to impact workers, businesses and consumers. Higher transport costs also contribute to inflationary pressures by increasing the cost of moving agricultural produce, manufactured goods and other essential commodities across the country.
The latest transport fare data comes as Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 15.93% in May 2026 from 15.69% in April, amid renewed global commodity price pressures linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and disruptions to global energy supply chains.
