…As Air Fare Rises By 20.53%
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria’s statistical system coordinating agency, has reported that travellers in the country paid N7,577.03 as transport fare for intercity bus journey in January this year, representing 89.50% higher than the N3,998.42 paid by them in January 2023.
The Bureau in its just published ‘Transport Fare Watch for January 2024’ indicated that when analyzed on month-on-month basis, the N7,577.03 paid by commuters in January 2024 for intercity bus journey, indicated a marginal increase of 2.36% when compared to N7,402.16 they paid in December 2023
The report covers bus journey within the city per drop constant route; bus journey intercity (state route) charge per person; air fare charge for specified routes single journey; journey by motorcycle (Okada) per drop; and water way passenger transport.
According to the data in the report, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased to N963.38 in January this year, representing 6.72% increase from the N902.70 fare paid in December 2023 and on year-on year basis, the fare rose by 48.03% from N650.80 in January 2023.
The report reflected that in another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop was N7,577.03 in January 2024, indicating an increase of 2.36% on a month-on-month basis compared to N7,402.16 in December 2023. However, the fare rose year-on-year by 89.50% from N3,998.42 paid in January 2023.
In air travel, the average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey was N89,975.68 in January this year, representing an increase of 5.00% when compared to previous month’s (December 2023’s) fare, adding that on a year-on -year basis, the fare rose by 20.53% from N74,648.65 paid for single journey in January last year.
Also, the report revealed that the average transport fare paid on Okada transportation was N456.22 in the month under review, indicating an increase of 8.69% when compared with the N419.73 fare paid in December 2023. However, on a year-on-year basis, the fare dropped by 2.15% when compared to the N466.25 paid by travellers in January last year.
For water transport (waterway passenger transportation), the transport fare data showed that the average fare paid in January 2024 increased to N1,402.84 from N1, 386.76, implying a marginal increase of 1.16% on monthly basis but that on a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 35.82% from N1,032.84 in January 2023.
The Bureau further clarified: “On state profile analysis, for intercity bus travel (state route charged per person fare), the highest fare was recorded in Anambra with N10,500.00, followed by Akwa-Ibom with N10,000.00. The least fare was recorded in Kwara with N5,900.00, followed by Taraba with N6,200.00. Taraba state recorded the highest bus journey within the city (per drop constant route) in January 2024 with N1,400.00 followed by Jigawa with N1,250.00.
“On the other hand, Abia recorded the least with N550.00, followed by Adamawa with N570.00. Similarly, Rivers recorded the highest air transport charges (for specified routes single journeys) with N100,500.00, followed by Lagos with N100,000.00. Conversely, Abia recorded the least fare with N73,000.00, followed by Plateau with N80,000.00.
“Also, Lagos State had the highest motorcycle transport fare in January 2024 with N840.00, followed by Ondo with N750.00. The least fare was recorded in Anambra with N230.00, while Bayelsa followed with N250.00. Similarly, water transport fare was highest in Bayelsa with N4,700.00, followed by Delta with N4,200.00, while the least fare was recorded in Borno with N450.00, followed by Gombe with N550.00”, the statistics agency added.