Intra-city transport fares jumped by 36.58% in one year – NBS

The average fares paid by commuters within Nigerian cities have climbed by 36.58 per cent year-on-year, according to a new report by the National Bureau of Statistics.

The NBS, in its Transport Fare Watch report for October 2021, stated that the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey within the city increased by 36.58 per cent in October 2021 to N440.09 from N322.22 recorded in October 2020.

According to the NBS, when compared month-on-month, the value increased by 1.09 per cent in September, which was N435.36.

The NBS report said, “The zone with the highest average fare paid by commuters for bus journey within the city was in the North-East at N477.18 and the least average fare paid by commuters was in South East at N374.48.”

The cost of traveling between cities also rose during the period.

The NBS said that the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity stood at N2,634.46 in October 2021, indicating an increase of 0.52 per cent when compared to the value, N2,620.00 recorded in September 2021.

It also increased year-on-year by 19.22 per cent in October 2020 to N2,209.84.

“The zone with the highest average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity was in the North-Central at N3,061.36 and the least average fare paid by commuters was in South-South at N2,136.1.”

On air transport, the report disclosed a marginal increase in fares both YoY and MoM.

The average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey increased by 0.03 per cent MoM and by 1.87 per cent YoY to N36,932.43 in October 2021 from N36,922.97 in September 2021 and N36,256.08 in October 2020 respectively.

“The zone with the highest average air transport fare was South-South at N37,275 and the least average airfare fare paid by passengers was in North West at N36,592.86.”