May 2024 sees 78% YoY increase in intercity bus fare – NBS 

The average fare paid by commuters per drop for intercity bus travel within Nigeria in May 2024 was N7,129.46, a significant increase of 78.14% from N4,002.16 in May 2023.  

This data comes from the Transport Fare Watch for May 2024, recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).  

The report also indicated that, on a month-on-month basis, the average fare in May 2024 was slightly higher than the N7,122.57 recorded in April 2024, representing a 0.10% increase.  

“The average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop was N7,129.46 in May 2024, indicating an increase of 0.10% on a month-on-month basis compared to N7,122.57 in April 2024. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 78.14% from N4,002.16 in May 2023,” the report read in part. 

The analysis of the May 2024 average fare for intercity bus travel by geopolitical zone showed that the South-South had the highest fare at N7,662.50, up 0.39% from the previous month’s N7,632.50 and 95.10% higher than May 2023’s N3,927.28.  

The South-East recorded the second highest at N7,376.00 per trip, a slight 0.08% increase from April and 85.55% higher than May 2023’s N3,975.17.  

The North-Central had the lowest fare at N6,815.71, marking a 0.08% increase from April and a 74.15% year-on-year increase.  

Meanwhile, the North-East recorded N7,050.83, a 0.11% decrease from April’s N7,058.33 and a 69.72% year-on-year increase from May 2023’s N4,154.38.  

The South-West averaged N6,989.17, a 0.16% month-on-month increase and a 64.19% year-on-year rise. The North-West had an average of N6,997.86 in May 2024, slightly down from N7,000 in April, but up 82.94% year-on-year. 

More insights  

In May 2024, an analysis of average intercity bus fares across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, showed significant variations.  

• Anambra State had the highest fare at N9,650 per trip. Akwa Ibom and Gombe followed, both with fares of N8,300.  

• Abia State ranked next at N8,250, followed by Delta at N8,200 and Bayelsa at N8,100. Notably, Abuja and Cross River had fares of N8,050, while Adamawa was at N7,700 and Oyo at N7,600. 

• On the lower end, Kwara State had the lowest average fare for intercity bus travel in May 2024, with commuters paying N5,530 per trip.  

• Ebonyi State followed at N5,630, and Taraba State at N6,050. Imo State ranked fourth with an average fare of N6,200, followed by Edo at N6,250 and Jigawa at N6,280.  
• Nasarawa and Ondo States recorded fares of N6,300 and N6,380, respectively, while Bauchi and Ogun States were at N6,400 per trip.