The average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within Nigerian cities increased to N1,431.25 per trip in May 2026, reflecting persistent transportation cost pressures despite easing inflation in some sectors of the economy.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the average intra-city bus fare rose by 2.43% from N1,397.27 recorded in April 2026 and was 38.63% higher than the N1,032.46 paid in May 2025.

The latest Transport Fare Watch report also showed increases across intercity bus travel, air transport, motorcycle (Okada) rides and water transportation during the month.

What the report is saying

The NBS said transport fares continued to rise across virtually all categories in May, with motorcycle transportation recording the fastest annual increase.

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  • The average intercity bus fare increased to N9,699.55 in May, up 0.96% from N9,607.41 in April and 21.89% higher than the N7,957.41 recorded in May 2025.
  • The average airfare for specified domestic routes stood at N157,552.19, representing a 0.12% month-on-month increase and a 20.86% rise from N130,361.85 in May 2025.
  • Motorcycle (Okada) transport rose to an average of N1,072.51, increasing 3.56% from April and 52.45% year-on-year, making it the transport category with the highest annual increase.
  • Water transport fares climbed to N2,276.48, representing a 2.41% monthly increase and a 30.88% rise compared to N1,739.32 in May 2025.

The report indicates that transport costs remain elevated across the country despite only modest monthly increases.

More insights

The NBS report also highlighted significant variations in transport fares across states and geopolitical zones.

  • Ondo State recorded the highest average intercity bus fare at N11,080, followed closely by Abia State at N11,066.13, while Kwara and Edo recorded the lowest fares.
  • For city bus transportation, Zamfara State posted the highest average fare at N1,878.80, followed by Taraba at N1,771.96, while Abia and Adamawa had the lowest fares.
  • Kano State recorded the highest average domestic air fare at N184,139.29, ahead of Lagos State at N176,971.65, while Gombe and Nasarawa recorded the lowest airfares.
  • Kaduna State recorded the highest Okada fare at N1,720.76, while Rivers State posted the highest water transport fare at N6,893.55.

At the zonal level, the South-West recorded the highest average fares for city bus services, intercity buses and motorcycle transportation, while the South-South posted the highest average water transport fares.

What you should know

Transportation remains one of the largest household expenditure items in Nigeria, with rising fares directly affecting workers, businesses and the prices of goods and services.

  • Higher transport costs also contribute to broader inflationary pressures by increasing the cost of moving agricultural produce, manufactured goods and other essential commodities across the country.

Nairametrics earlier reported that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate edged higher to 15.93% in May 2026, up from 15.69% in April.

The latest inflation figures come amid renewed global commodity price pressures linked to geopolitical developments in the Middle East and disruptions to global energy supply chains.