Motorcycle fares increased by 2.55 per cent last month

Latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the average transport fare paid on commercial motorcycles popularly known as Okada was N467.84 in February 2024, which was 2.55 per cent higher than the January fare (N456.22).

On a year-on-year basis, the fare increased by 1.42 per cent compared to February 2023 (N461.28). For waterway passenger transportation, the average fare paid declined to N1, 395.81 from N1, 402.84, which indicates a decline of 0.5 per cent on a month-on-month.

NBS in its Transport Fare Watch for February 2024 released on Tuesday said the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop declined to 1.21 per cent from N963.38 in January 2024 to N951.76 in February 2024.

On a year-on-year basis, it rose by 46.98 per cent from N647.54 in February 2023.

In another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop was N7, 002.97 in February 2024, indicating a decline of 7.58 per cent on a month-on-month basis compared to N7, 577.03 in January 2024. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 75.48 per cent from N3, 999.7 in February 2023.

In air travel, the average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey was N88,000 in February 2024, showing a decrease of 2.2 per cent compared to the previous month (January 2024). On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 18.03 per cent from N74,558.11 in February 2023.

On a year-on-year basis, it increased by 35.58 per cent from N1,029.47 in February 2023.

On state profile analysis, for intercity bus travel (state route charged per person fare), the highest fare was recorded in Akwa-Ibom and Anambra with N9,000, followed by Abuja with N8,050.

The least fare was recorded in Kwara with N5,000, followed by Ebonyi with N5,700. Taraba state recorded the highest bus journey within the city (per drop constant route) in February 2024 with N1,400 followed by Ondo with N1,200.

On the other hand, Abia recorded the least with N500, followed by Adamawa with N585. Similarly, Rivers recorded the highest air transport charges (for specified routes single journeys) with N100,000, followed by Kano with N96,000.

Conversely, Abia recorded the lowest fare with N70,000, followed by Abuja and Kogi with N80,000.

Also, Lagos State had the highest motorcycle transport fare in February 2024 with N850, followed by Ondo with N750.

The least fare was recorded in Anambra with N250, while Bayelsa followed with N270.

Similarly, water transport fare was highest in Bayelsa with N4,500, followed by Delta and Rivers with N4,100, while the lowest fare was recorded in Borno with N430, followed by Gombe with N570.