Road, air, water transport fares record hike in March — NBS

By Progress Godfrey

Transport costs across road, air and waterways recorded a sharp rise in March 2026, tightening pressure on household budgets and indicating persistent inflationary strain in Nigeria’s mobility sector, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

The NBS Transport Fare Watch released on Thursday shows broad based increases across all categories, with intra city bus fares rising 14.86 per cent month-on-month to N1,373.49, while intercity travel surged 17.95 per cent to N9,564.12.

Air travel costs climbed to N157,224.05, up 2.33 per cent from February, as motorcycle fares rose 9.05 per cent to N1,004.34 and water transport increased 4.59 per cent to N2,193.56. This shows sustained cost pressures across transport modes.

“The average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop increased by 14.86% from N1,195.75 in February 2026 to N1,373.49 in March 2026.

“In another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop was N9,564.12 in March 2026, indicating an increase of 17.95% on a month-on-month basis compared to N8,108.81 in February 2026.

“In air travel, the average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey was N157,224.05 in March 2026, showing an increase of 2.33% when compared to previous month,” the NBS said.

State level data highlight widening cost disparities, with Kaduna recording the highest intercity bus fare at N11,499.36, while Edo posted the lowest at N7,808.75. Within cities, Zamfara led at N1,721.77, with Abia the cheapest at N850.18.

“The average transport fare paid on Okada transportation was N1,004.34 in March 2026, which shows an increase of 9.05% when compared with the value recorded in February 2026,” the report added.

Zonal analysis shows the South West recording the highest intra-city bus fares at N1,499.87, while the North West led intercity travel at N10,065.40. The South South posted the highest air fares at N163,133.43, underscoring regional cost variations.

Water transport remained most expensive in the South South at N5,016.85, while the North East recorded the lowest at N1,355.30, reinforcing the uneven impact of transport cost increases across regions.

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