Nigerians relying on motorcycle transport are paying more as intra-city travel costs continue to rise. A new report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that the average Okada fare increased significantly in April 2026.
Average Okada Fare Rises by 3.12% Month-on-Month
The average transport fare paid on motorcycle (Okada) transportation stood at N1,035.69 in April 2026, representing an increase of 3.12% compared to N1,004.34 recorded in March 2026. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 56.20% from N663.06 in April 2025, reflecting sustained pressure on intra-city transport costs.
Kaduna, Lagos, Abia Top the List
The NBS disclosed this in its transport fare watch report for April 2026. Kaduna State recorded the highest motorcycle transport fare in April 2026 at N1,690.91, followed by Lagos at N1,590.87 and Abia at N1,560.45.
10 Highest States (Journey by Motorcycle per Drop)
- Kaduna: N1,690.91
- Lagos: N1,590.87
- Abia: N1,560.45
- Yobe: N1,396.76
- Ogun: N1,334.60
- Rivers: N1,250.83
- Imo: N1,200.62
- Borno: N1,180.85
- Cross River: N1,155.84
- Ondo: N1,150.50
10 Lowest States (Journey by Motorcycle per Drop)
- Adamawa: N730.24
- Akwa Ibom: N740.88
- Kebbi: N769.45
- Sokoto: N800.05
- Anambra: N810.24
- Edo: N839.85
- Enugu: N860.45
- Ekiti: N870.71
- Niger: N880.71
- Bauchi: N880.98
Regional Breakdown: South-West Pays Most
On a regional basis, commuters in the South-West paid the highest average okada fare at N1,145.77, followed by the South-East at N1,084.10, while the North-Central recorded the lowest at N963.01.
Nigeria Spends N146 Billion on Motorcycle Imports
Meanwhile, data from NBS showed that Nigeria spent N146.11 billion on motorcycle importation despite several manufacturing plants in-country as well as a ban on the use of motorcycles in several states across the country, following security and safety concerns. The NBS report stated that manufactured goods mainly imported were motorcycles and cycles fitted with auxiliary motor, petrol fuel, capacity >50<250cc, CKD, imported from India valued at N146.11 billion.
NRC Records Decline in Passenger Revenue
In a related development, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) recorded a decline in passenger revenue in the fourth quarter of 2025. Total revenue collected from passengers during the period stood at N1.6 billion, representing a 16.3% drop from the N1.92 billion recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2024. The report also showed that the number of passengers carried by rail declined by 9.32% to 940,476 in Q4 2025, down from 1,037,113 in the same period of 2024.
