The average fare for bus journeys within Nigerian cities rose to N1,431.25 in May 2026, up 38.63 percent from N1,032.46 a year earlier, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics.
Okada fares rose even faster, increasing 52.45 percent year-on-year to N1,072.51, underscoring the growing cost of last-mile movement for businesses and consumers.
Read also: Bolt brings on-demand parcel delivery to Owerri, targets residents, small businesses
For online merchants, the increases add pressure to an already difficult operating environment. Businesses that depend on riders to move individual orders must either absorb higher delivery costs, pass them on to customers or find ways to reduce the number of trips required to fulfil orders.
The challenge is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses, where delivery expenses can quickly erode profits on lower-value orders.
