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Average Transport Fare Surges 98% After Fuel Subsidy Removal
By Adedapo Adesanya
* Cost of other alternatives transport soar in Review Month
** Ripples of fuel subsidy spur rise in food, rent, others
*** President Tinubu launches palliative measures to cushion effect
The average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per increased by 97.9 per cent from N649.59 in May 2023 to N1,285.41 in June 2023 as Nigerians grapple with a rise in prices after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy.
This was contained in the Transport Fare Watch June 2023 released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) over the weekend, confirming the grim reality that the average commuting Nigerian faces on a daily basis.
In the report seen by Business Post, it was shown that on a year-on-year basis, the average cost of bus fare rose by 120.63 per cent from N582.61 in June 2022 to N1,285.41 in the review month.
In another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity rose by 42.1 per cent on a month-on-month basis to N5,686.49 in June 2023 from N4,002.16 in May 2023. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 55.3 per cent from N3,662.87 in June 2022.
President Tinubu during his inauguration speech on May 29 announced that fuel subsidies, which gulped N4.3 trillion alone in 2022, were no more since the administration of Mr Muhammadu Buhari did not make provisions beyond June 2023 in the budget.
This caused an instant surge of over 40 per cent, creating a ripple effect in other basic needs like food, shelter, and other transportation alternatives over demand increase.
In air travel, the average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes’ single journeys increased by 4.9 per cent from N74,948.78 in May 2023 to N78,640.54 in June 2023. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 40.2 per cent from N56,082.64 in June 2022.
The average transport fare paid on commercial motorcycle, otherwise known as Okada transportation was N618.52 in June 2023, 33.1 per cent higher than the rate recorded in May 2023 (N464.55). On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 48.3 per cent when compared with June 2022 (N416.97).
For water transport (waterway passenger transportation), the average fare paid in June 2023 increased to N1,366.22 from N1,045.15 in May 2023. On a year-on-year basis, it increased by 44.8 per cent from N943.26 in June 2022.
On state profile analysis, Bauchi state recorded the highest bus journey within the city (per drop constant route) in June 2023 with N1,700.00, followed by Jigawa with N1,570.00. On the other hand, Imo state recorded the least with N710.00, followed by Adamawa with N840.00.
For intercity bus travel (state route charged per person fare), the highest fare was recorded in Abuja with N8,500.00, followed by Anambra with N8,000.00. The least fare was recorded in Kwara with N3,400.00, followed by Zamfara with N3,700.00.
Similarly, Delta State recorded the highest air transport charges (for specified routes single journeys) with N87,000.00, followed by Kebbi with N83,500.00. Conversely, Abia recorded the least fare with N70,000.00, followed by Niger with N73,000.00.
Also, Lagos state had the highest motorcycle transport fare in June 2023 with N900.00, followed by Taraba with N850.00. The least fare was recorded in Edo with N250.00, followed by Bayelsa with N300.
In terms of water transport fare, the highest was in Rivers with N5,000.00, followed by Bayelsa with N4,500.00, while the least fare was recorded in Borno with N450.00, followed by Kebbi and Gombe with N500.00 each.
Analysis by zone showed that in June 2023, transport fares of bus journeys within the city recorded the highest in the South-South with N1,411.67, followed by the North-East with N1,318.33, while the South-East recorded the least with N1,162.00.
In terms of bus journey intercity, the South-East had the highest fare with N5,950.03, followed by the South-West with N5,916,67, while North-Central recorded the least with N5,398.57. The North-East recorded the highest fare of air transport in June 2023 with N80,650.00, followed by the South-South with N80,000.00, while the North-Central had the least with N76,357.14.
Also, commuters on a motorcycle (Okada) paid the highest fare in the North-East and South-West with N690.00 each, followed by the North-Central with N667.14, while the North-West recorded the least with N473.57. The South-South zone had the highest fare on water transport with N3,533.33, followed by the South-West with N1,275.00, while the North-East had the least with N783.33.
President Tinubu in a television broadcast on Monday, July 31, announced over $500 million financial package to assist households hurt by his economic reforms.
He defended his decision to scrap the fuel subsidy, saying it only benefited a few so-called elites, saying he was aware of the hardships that the decision caused citizens and promised his government was working to help.
The latest measures announced by the president include allocations for a review of the minimum wage, support for micro-, small- and medium-scale enterprises, and the purchase of 3,000 gas-powered buses to reduce the cost of transportation.
President Tinubu also ordered the immediate release of 200,000 metric tons of grains to households, in an effort to lower prices and 225,000 metric tons of fertilizers, seedlings and other inputs to farmers.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Lagos State government has promised to put in place stronger safety measures after a gas tanker explosion on Otedola Bridge on Tuesday night.
The incident reportedly claimed two lives and destroyed some properties in the area, including vehicles and buildings.
Reacting to the explosion, the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, expressed the regret of the state government over the widespread damage and disruption caused by the tragedy.
“Our thoughts are with those affected, and we commend the swift response of emergency services working tirelessly to manage the aftermath,” he said.
The Commissioner noted that the incident reinforces the urgent need for stricter safety protocols for heavy-duty vehicles.
“The Ministry of Transportation is also intensifying enforcement on the movement of hazardous materials, strengthening regulatory compliance, and implementing enhanced safety measures to prevent future occurrences,” he stated.
Mr Osiyemi called on “all transport operators to uphold the highest safety standards and cooperate with government efforts to safeguard lives and property,” saying, “Lagos remains committed to a safer, more resilient transport system for all.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has intensified its Lagos State School Traffic Safety Advocacy Programme (LSTSAP) under the visionary initiative tagged Operation Catch Them Young.
This is part of the agency’s strategic moves to inculcate traffic discipline and awareness from an early age. It was crafted to foster a profound understanding of road safety principles while mitigating traffic-related hazards.
This initiative, which was recently re-launched, has been reinvigorated to ensure broader reach and heightened impact, and will continue its extensive rollout across various schools, ensuring a lasting imprint on the consciousness of young children and fostering a culture of responsible road use from the grassroots level.
Furthermore, in a bid to provide a holistic and engaging experience, the initiative incorporates excursions, career day events, interactive road safety games, essay competitions and dedicated outreach programmes for school catering to students with special needs.
This transformative advocacy campaign will continue its extensive rollout across various schools, leaving and indelible impact on young children and fostering a sustainable culture of responsible road use at the grassroots level.
Through this advocacy drive, LASTMA officials systematically engage secondary school students across Lagos State’s six educational districts, equipping them with crucial knowledge of traffic signs, regulations and safety protocols on every Wednesdays of the week.
Reiterating the programme’s significance, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, underscored that embedding traffic consciousness in young minds is pivotal to nurturing a disciplined and law-abiding society.
He emphasized that early exposure to road safety tenets not only enhances pedestrian and commuter safety but also fosters a generation of responsible road users—whether as future drivers, cyclists, or pedestrians.
According to him, “the revitalization of Operation Catch Them Young is in alignment with the state government’s commitment to a safer, more orderly, and seamlessly structured transportation system.
“By empowering students with critical traffic knowledge, Lagos State is proactively shaping a future where adherence to road regulations becomes instinctive among its citizens.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ondo State, Mr Samuel Ibitoye, has been sanctioned for allowing a patrol vehicle in his domain to operate with worn-out tyres.
Over the week, a video emerged on social media showing a motorist, booked a patrol team for an expired tyre, capturing the patrol van of the agency with bad tyres.
Apparently embarrassed by this, the Corps Marshall of the FRSC, Mr Shehu Mohammed, in a statement signed by the Assistant Corps Marshal of the Corps’ Public Education Officer, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, said the agency has zero tolerance to any form of negation of standards and does not condone any form of compromise against its core values.
According to him, the action “is a complete negation of the core values, as well as Standard Operating Procedures on Vehicles Maintenance for all operational and administrative vehicles of the corps.”
He, therefore, sanctioned the sector commander, ordering the ticketing of vehicle for the infraction, with the commander directed “to pay the fines for negligence.”
Mr Mohammed commended the public for their watch dog role over the services of the road safety agency, reminding the motoring public that the FRSC remains a pace-setter amongst agencies in Nigeria, for high level observance of quality standards, especially when it comes to vehicle maintenance, and will continue to enhance on the mileages achieved over the years in that regard.
He assured that the organisation would “continue to play its supervisory role over the field commands with diligent commitment while the Commanding Officers are expected to uphold the ideals of the corps accordingly.”
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