By Yahaya Umar 

Commuters are to pay more as private transporters increase fare by 25 per cent The average fare for intercity bus transport in Nigeria increased by 9.09 per cent on a year-on-year basis to N4,002.16 in May, transportation data obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, on Wednesday, disclosed.

According to the Transport Fare Watch, May report by NBS, the average fare for intercity bus transport rose to N4,002.16, from N3,668.64 reported in the same month in 2022.

However, bus transport within the city cost passengers N649.59 during the period in review, against the N581.79 recorded in May last year.

“The average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased by 0.23% in May 2023 when N649.59 was recorded relative to N648.12 in April 2023. On a year-on-year basis, the average fare paid rose by 11.66% from N581.79 in May 2022.

“In another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop in May 2023 was N4,002.16, indicating an increase of 0.19% on a month-on-month basis compared to the N3,994.51 recorded in April 2023. On a year-on-year basis, this rose by 9.09% from N3,668.64 in May 2022,” the NBS report reads.

It was further disclosed that the highest cost of intercity bus transport was recorded in the South-West and the North-East, while the North-West experienced the lowest fare.

Within the city bus transport fare was highest in North-East and South-South, but the South-East recorded the least.

“Furthermore, analysis by zone showed that transport fares of bus journeys within the city in May 2023 recorded the highest in the North-East with N703.41, followed by the South-South with N660.75, while the South-East recorded the least with N617.14.

“In terms of bus journey intercity, the South-West had the highest fare with N4,256.78, followed by the North-East with N4,154.38, while the North-West recorded the least with N3,825.19.”

Breaking down the fare by states, NBS stated that the highest bus journey fare within the city was in Taraba, followed by Bauchi, but Borno residents paid the least.

For intercity bus fare by state, the bureau said commuters in Abuja and Adamawa were charged the highest, conversely, Kwara passengers paid the lowest fare.

“On state profile analysis, Taraba state recorded the highest bus journey fare within the city, per drop constant route, in May 2023 with N870.00, followed by Bauchi with N810.04, while Borno recorded the least with N510.14.

“For intercity bus travel state route charged per person fare, the highest fare was recorded in Abuja with N6,205.10, followed by Adamawa with N5,725.14, while the least was recorded in Kwara with N2,000.00,” NBS said in the report.