By Nurat Uthman
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the average cost of bus transportation within Nigerian cities increased significantly from N649.59 in May 2023 to N1,285.41 in June 2023.
This rise can be attributed to the increase in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit. The Transport Fare Watch report from the NBS for June 2023 provides detailed figures on bus fares within and between cities.
In just one month, the cost of intra-city bus transportation rose by 98%, a difference of N636. On a year-on-year basis, bus fares increased by 120.63% compared to June 2022 when commuters paid N582.61.
The average fare for intercity bus journeys per drop also experienced a significant increase. In June 2023, commuters paid an average of N5,686.49, which is a 42.09% increase from May 2023 when the average fare was N4,002.16. Similarly, on a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 55.25% from N3,662.87 in June 2022.
The report states, “The average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased by 97.88% from N649.59 in May 2023 to N1,285.41 in June 2023. On a year-on-year basis, it rose by 120.63% from N582.61 in June 2022.
In another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop rose to N5,686.49 in June 2023, indicating an increase of 42.09% on a month-on-month basis compared to N4,002.16 in May 2023. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 55.25% from N3,662.87 in June 2022.”
