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Cost of Bus Transportation in Nigeria Rises 50% in One Year
By Ashemiriogwa Emmanuel
The average bus fare paid by commuters for journeys within cities across states of the federation increased by 50 per cent year-on-year to N430.58 per drop constant route in August 2021 from N286.99 in the same time of last year.
According to the latest report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the cost of bus transportation also increased by 5 per cent month-on-month from N410.2 in July 2021.
A look at the price watch for individual states showed that residents of Zamfara and Bauchi States paid the highest average fare for bus Journey within cities during the review period at N670.3 and N635.1 per drop constant route respectively.
This was followed by Taraba State where commuters paid approximately N550.1 on average for bus transportation within cities in the state.
In contrast, Oyo State recorded the lowest average price during the reference period as people paid N220.5 to move by bus from one city to another within the inland state of southwestern Nigeria.
Behind this were Abia and Borno States where the average cost of the bus transport service stood at N239.4 and N297.2 respectively.
Similarly, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys from one city to another (intercity) also went up by 1.8 per cent month-on-month to N2,588.7 in August 2021 from N2,542.95.
According to the data, the state with the highest bus journey fare intercity within the period was the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja where people paid N4,700.1 to travel to another city.
This was followed by Lagos and Sokoto where it recorded an average price as high as N3,600.0 and N3,450.2 respectively, while the lowest average cost was recorded in Bayelsa (N1,859.36), Bauchi (N1,900.60), and Akwa Ibom (N1,950.20) accordingly.
Air Transportation
According to the stats office, the average price paid by air passengers went up by a marginal 0.1 per cent month-on-month within the period to N36,805.41 for specified routes single journey in August from N36,793.24.
This also showed a 0.53 per cent year-on-year increase from N36,611.2 published for the same time last year.
The report showed that Rivers and Edo States recorded the highest average cost of air travel at N38,900 and N38,500 respectively, which was followed by the country’s largest economic hub, Lagos where it cost N38,200.
However, the lowest airfare was recorded in Akwa-Ibom at N33,100, Sokoto at N33,700, as well as and Gombe at N35,200 according to the order of listing.
Motorcycle Transportation
Observing the price watch for motorcycle transportation in the country, it the average fare paid by commuters per drop increased by 3.2 per cent month-on-month to N303.25 in August 2021 from N294.02.
On a year-on-year basis, it also went up by 54.2 per cent from N196.7 it cost last year.
In addition, commuters in Yobe who opted for motorcycle transportation within the period paid the highest average at N500.5 per drop. Behind this were Lagos and Taraba state where it cost N487.2 and N465.1 respectively.
However, it was paid for at the lowest in states like Adamawa at N107.1, Niger at N180.1, as well as, Katsina at N180.3 per drop.
Waterway Transportation
The average fare paid by people who travelled by water within the period under review similarly increased by 1.9 per cent month-on-month to N848.2 in August 2021 from N831.97, marking a 23.6 per cent year-on-year increase from N686.7.
The fare for waterway transport recorded the highest average in the southern part of the country, particularly in the oil-producing state, Delta at N2,550.5, followed by Bayelsa at N2,500.47, and Rivers at N2,300.1.
On the other hand, passengers paid the lowest waterway transport fare within the period in states such as Borno (N270.64), Kebbi (N360.11), and Taraba (N380.20).
By Dipo Olowookere
Residents and motorists plying the Aina Obembe Road in Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos, may soon heave a sigh of relief as the excruciating traffic gridlock being experienced in the area both day and night may soon be a thing of the past.
This is because the chairman of Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, has directed those involved in indiscriminate truck parking along the road to remove the heavy-duty vehicles within one week, threatening to invoke appropriate enforcement measures for noncompliance with this directive.
Speaking during a meeting on Wednesday with the management of SENA Company, which owns the affected trucks, as well as the leadership of Oluwadara CDA and other key stakeholders like the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), at the council’s secretariat, Mr Agbaje frowned at the prolonged inconvenience suffered by the community, stressing that public roads must remain accessible and safe for all users.
He emphasised the need for a collaborative approach in resolving the issue without undermining legitimate business operations, noting that he’s focused on finding a lasting solution to the gridlock experienced between Oluwaga and Aina Obembe, where parked trucks have continued to obstruct traffic, disrupt business activities, and pose safety concerns for residents and motorists.
He tasked the firm and the CDA to jointly identify and implement alternative parking arrangements that would remove all trucks from the affected roads and restore the free flow of traffic.
He declared that, “The welfare of our people remains our highest priority. No individual or corporate organisation should obstruct public infrastructure or create avoidable hardship for residents. We must ensure that economic activities coexist with public safety, order, and convenience.”
The council chief reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting orderly development, ensuring safe and accessible roads, improving traffic management, and creating an environment where businesses can thrive alongside the well-being of residents.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has cut import levies on new and used vehicles by as much as 10 per cent in a move aimed at reducing the cost of vehicle importation, even as it commenced the implementation of a new Green Tax surcharge.
According to an update issued by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Wednesday, the import levy on new vehicles has been reduced from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while the levy on used vehicles has been slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent under the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures, which took effect on July 1, 2026.
The customs said the policy is designed to ease the cost of vehicle imports while advancing the government’s environmental sustainability objectives through the newly introduced Green Tax.
The implementation also reduces the overall import duty on fully built passenger vehicles from 70 per cent to 40 per cent.
As part of the Green Tax framework, a new environmental surcharge of between two per cent and four per cent will apply to petrol-powered vehicles with engine capacities exceeding 2,000cc. However, mass transit buses, electric vehicles, and passenger cars with engines below 2,000cc are exempt from the surcharge.
Beyond the automobile sector, the fiscal measures also lower import duties on several essential goods. The duty on imported rice has been reduced from 70 per cent to 47.5 per cent, while crude palm oil now attracts a 28.75 per cent duty.
In addition, import duties on agricultural and manufacturing machinery have been completely removed to support local production, while Waste PET has been added to the export prohibition list to encourage domestic recycling.
By Dipo Olowookere
Plans are underway to carry out a comprehensive data capture and registration exercise of all commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators within Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA.
This move, according to the council chairman, Mr Lukmon Agbaje, is part of proactive measures to strengthen the security of lives and property across the Local Council Development Area (LCDA). The exercise, he said, would be executed in partnership with security agencies and transport unions.
On Tuesday, the council chief convened a high-level security meeting with leaders of commercial transport unions and key security stakeholders operating within the area.
Mr Agbaje expressed concern over the increasing influx of commercial motorcycle (Okada) and tricycle (Keke) operators into the LCDA without proper documentation or profiling.
According to him, the absence of reliable records poses significant security challenges and could provide opportunities for criminal elements to infiltrate communities under the guise of commercial transportation.
He stressed that security is best achieved through preventive measures, noting that effective profiling and documentation remain essential tools in safeguarding residents and protecting the council from emerging security threats.
Mr Agbaje disclosed that under the new security framework, all Okada and Keke parks and operational locations across the LCDA would be officially documented, adding that every duly verified operator would receive an official identification jacket bearing a unique coded number to facilitate easy identification and monitoring.
He also said a mandatory guarantor system will be introduced to strengthen accountability, ensuring that every registered rider has a verifiable guarantor who can be contacted whenever necessary.
The chairman noted that these measures are designed not only to improve security coordination but also to protect law-abiding commercial operators and discourage criminal activities within the council.
Leaders of the various transport unions welcomed the initiative, noting that proper documentation will distinguish genuine operators from criminal elements, enhance public confidence, and promote a safer working environment for commercial transporters.
Also, the Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) of Ayobo and Ipaja Commands commended the initiative, describing it as a timely and commendable step towards strengthening community policing. They reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to working closely with the council to ensure full compliance and sustain peace and public order.
