The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) Transport Watch for December 2023 has reported a noteworthy decline in the average fare paid by city commuters for bus journeys per drop.
The fare dropped to N902.70 from N1,047.64 in November 2023, marking a 13.83 per cent decrease.
The year-on-year comparison reveals a substantial increase of 40.93 per cent in the average fare paid by city commuters for bus journeys per drop, rising from N644.65 in December 2022.
In a separate category, the average fare for intercity bus journeys per drop in December 2023 was N7,402.16, indicating a 19.26 per cent monthly increase from N6,206.53 in November 2023. On a year-on-year basis, this fare rose by 86.40 per cent from N3,971.22 in December 2022.
The Transport Watch also highlighted that the average fare for specified air routes single journey was N85,692.12 in December 2023, a 5.36 per cent increase compared to November 2023. Year-on-year, the fare rose by 14.87 per cent from N74,597.30 in December 2022.
For Okada transportation, the average fare was N419.73 in December 2023, reflecting an 11.29 per cent decline from November 2023 (N473.13). On a year-to-year basis, the average fare decreased by 9.04 per cent compared to December 2022 (N461.45).
Water transport saw an average fare increase to N1,386.76 in December 2023 from N1,352.70, representing a 2.52 per cent monthly rise. Year-on-year, this fare increased by 34.77 per cent from N1,029.00 in December 2022.
In the analysis of state profiles for intercity bus travel, the highest fare, charged per person, was recorded in Akwa Ibom and Anambra at N10,000.00.
This was followed by Abia, Abuja, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Cross River, and Gombe at N8,500.00. The lowest fare was noted in Kwara at N5,500.00, followed by Taraba at N6,000.00.
Taraba State had the highest bus journey within the city, with a constant route charge per drop, in December 2023 at N1,350.00. Jigawa followed at N1,200.00. In contrast, Abia, Adamawa, and Sokoto states recorded the least at N500.00, followed by Kano at N700.00.
Similarly, water transport fare was highest in Bayelsa at N4,500.00, followed by Delta and Rivers at N4,100.00, while the lowest fare was recorded in Borno at N450.00, followed by Gombe at N550.00.
Additional statistics
For the analysis by zone in December 2023, transport fares for bus journeys within the city were highest in the South-South at N950.00, followed by the North-East at N925.00, with the South-East recording the least at N840.00.
Regarding intercity bus journeys, the South-South had the highest fare at N8,083.33, followed by the South-East at N7,800.00, while the North-Central recorded the least at N7,011.43.
For air transportation in December 2023, the South-South recorded the highest fare at N88,918.06, followed by the North-East at N86,750.00, while the North-Central had the least at N82,157.14.
Also, commuters on a motorcycle (Okada) paid the highest fare in the South-West at N488.33 and North-East at N450.00, while the South-South recorded the lowest at N391.67.
The South-South zone had the highest water transport fare at N3,500.00, followed by the South-West at N1,375.00, with the North-East having the least at N780.00.
