Nigerians dug deeper into their pockets for transportation in May 2026, as fares for buses, motorcycles, air travel, and water transport maintained an upward trajectory.
The persistent rise reflects the lingering impact of elevated fuel prices and high operating costs, despite a relative softening in global crude oil prices, according to the latest Transport Fare Watch report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
According to the report, the cost of commuting within Nigerian cities rose by 2.43 percent month-on-month, with the average fare hitting N1,431.25 in May, up from N1,397.27 in April.
On a year-on-year basis, intra-city bus fares jumped by 38.63 percent, underscoring the severe erosion of disposable income for urban commuters.
Also, the average fare for long-distance bus journeys rose by 0.96 percent to N9,699.55 in May, compared to the previous month. This represents a 21.89 percent increase from the corresponding period in 2025.
