Transport Fares Rise Across Nigeria in February 2026
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has released its February 2026 Transport Fare Watch, revealing significant increases in transport costs across air, land, and water modes in Nigeria. The report highlights a broad upward trend in fares, affecting intra-city buses, intercity travel, air transport, motorcycle (Okada) services, and water transport, with notable variations by state and geopolitical zone.
Intercity Bus Fares: Abia and Ogun Lead with Highest Costs
According to the NBS data, Abia State recorded the highest intercity bus fare per passenger at N9,490.95, closely followed by Ogun State at N9,402.26 in February 2026. In contrast, Kwara State had the lowest fare at N6,190.50, with Edo State next at N6,650.00. On average, intercity bus travel stood at N8,108.81, showing a 4.65% decline from January 2026 but a 6.13% increase compared to February 2025.
Intra-City Bus and Other Transport Modes See Increases
For bus journeys within cities, the average fare rose by 0.74% from N1,186.98 in January 2026 to N1,195.75 in February 2026. Year-on-year, this represents a 26.71% increase from N943.68 in February 2025. Lagos State recorded the highest intra-city bus fare at N1,537.09, followed by Taraba at N1,405.36, while Abia had the lowest at N699.17, with Adamawa at N700.00.
Air transport fares also climbed, with the average single-journey ticket costing N153,647.95 in February 2026, up 1.51% from January and 21.38% higher year-on-year. Kano State led with the highest airfare at N187,742.40, followed by Ogun at N175,500.00, while Gombe had the lowest at N131,290.00, with Bauchi at N135,650.88.
Motorcycle transport fares averaged N920.95, marking a 4.82% monthly increase and a substantial 53.26% rise compared to February 2025. Kaduna State recorded the highest fare at N1,500.00, followed by Lagos at N1,416.67, while Adamawa and Akwa Ibom had the lowest at N650.00.
Water transport fares averaged N2,097.30, up 0.55% month-on-month and 31.66% year-on-year. Rivers State topped the list with the highest fare at N6,560.01, followed by Bayelsa at N5,338.49, while Borno recorded the lowest at N880.00.
Geopolitical Zone Analysis of Transport Costs
The NBS report also provided insights by geopolitical zones. The South-West recorded the highest intra-city bus fares at N1,326.80, while the South-East had the lowest at N1,116.10. For intercity travel, the South-East led with the highest fares at N8,507.45, and the North-East had the lowest at N7,709.98.
In air transport, the South-South zone recorded the highest average fare at N159,930.64, with the North-East at the lowest with N146,570.01. For Okada services, the South-West had the highest fares at N1,017.15, and the North-Central recorded the lowest at N850.78. Water transport fares were highest in the South-South at N4,862.32 and lowest in the North-East at N1,260.78.
This comprehensive data underscores the ongoing challenges in Nigeria's transport sector, with rising costs impacting commuters across various regions and modes of travel.
