Transport Costs Keep Climbing as Average City Bus Fare Hits ₦1,431 in May — NBS

Nigerians paid an average of ₦1,431.25 for a single bus trip within cities in May 2026, as transport costs continued to climb across the country, according to the latest Transport Fare Watch report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The report, published on Tuesday, showed that the average fare for intra-city bus transportation increased by 2.43 per cent from ₦1,397.27 recorded in April. On a year-on-year basis, commuters paid 38.63 per cent more than the ₦1,032.46 average recorded in May 2025.

The NBS said transport fares rose across all major categories tracked during the month, including intercity bus services, domestic air travel, motorcycle (okada) transport and water transportation, although month-on-month increases remained relatively moderate.

Among all transport modes surveyed, motorcycle transport recorded the sharpest annual increase.

According to the report, the average fare for intercity bus travel rose to ₦9,699.55 in May, representing a 0.96 per cent increase from ₦9,607.41 recorded in April. Compared with May 2025, the fare increased by 21.89 per cent from ₦7,957.41.

Domestic air travel also became slightly more expensive during the period. The average airfare for specified domestic routes rose to ₦157,552.19, representing a 0.12 per cent increase from April and a 20.86 per cent rise compared to ₦130,361.85 in May last year.

Motorcycle transport recorded the highest annual increase among the transport categories surveyed. The average fare climbed to ₦1,072.51, reflecting a 3.56 per cent month-on-month increase and a significant 52.45 per cent rise compared to May 2025.

Water transport fares also continued their upward trend. The average fare increased to ₦2,276.48 from ₦2,222.84 in April, representing a 2.41 per cent monthly increase. On a year-on-year basis, water transport costs were 30.88 per cent higher than the ₦1,739.32 recorded in May 2025.

States Record Wide Differences in Transport Costs

The report also highlighted significant variations in transport fares across states.

For intercity bus travel, Ondo State recorded the highest average fare at ₦11,080, followed closely by Abia State at ₦11,066.13. Kwara and Edo states recorded the lowest average intercity bus fares during the period.

In the intra-city bus category, Zamfara State recorded the highest average fare at ₦1,878.80, while Taraba State followed with ₦1,771.96. Abia and Adamawa states posted the lowest average fares.

For domestic air travel, Kano State recorded the highest average airfare at ₦184,139.29, followed by Lagos State at ₦176,971.65. Gombe and Nasarawa states had the lowest average domestic airfares.

The report further showed that Kaduna State recorded the highest average fare for motorcycle transport at ₦1,720.76, while Rivers State posted the highest average water transport fare at ₦6,893.55.

Regionally, the South-West recorded the highest average fares for intra-city bus services, intercity bus travel and motorcycle transportation, while the South-South recorded the highest average water transport fares during the review period.

The latest figures add to growing evidence of sustained increases in transportation costs, even as households continue to grapple with the broader impact of rising living expenses across the country.