Transport fares surge again in April 2026, NBS data shows

Transport costs across Nigeria rose again in April 2026 for both interstate and intra-city travels, adding further pressure on households already grappling with higher living costs. The continuous rise in transport fares reflects ongoing inflationary pressures in the economy.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has disclosed that the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city stood at N1,397.27 in April 2026. This represents an increase of 1.73% on a month-on-month basis compared to N1,373.49 in March 2026. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 39.83% from N999.27 in April 2025.

NBS disclosed this in its latest transport fare watch (April 2026) released on its website. In another category, the report revealed that the average fare paid by commuters for intercity bus journeys stood at N9,607.41 in April 2026. This represents an increase of 0.45% on a month-on-month basis compared to N9,564.12 in March 2026. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 21.58% from N7,902.08 in April 2025.

State-by-state breakdown of transport costs

The report also revealed what Nigerians paid across states. For intercity bus travel (state route charged per person fare), the highest fare was recorded in Abia State at N10,998.89, followed by Ondo State with N10,978.07. The lowest fare for intercity travel was recorded in Kwara State at N7,900.10, followed by Edo State with N7,953.13.

For bus journeys within the city (per drop on a constant route), Zamfara State recorded the highest fare at N1,803.10, followed by Lagos State at N1,704.03, Taraba State at N1,703.88, Osun State at N1,600.48, and Ogun State at N1,582.37. Conversely, the lowest intra-city fares were recorded in Abia State at N850.98, followed by Adamawa State with N911.65.

Zonal averages

For bus journeys within the city, the South-West recorded the highest average fare at N1,525.13, followed by the North-Central with N1,434.94, while the South-East recorded the lowest at N1,294.77. In terms of intercity bus travel, the South-West zone had the highest fare at N10,027.17, followed by the North-West with N9,992.97, while the South-South recorded the lowest at N9,183.65.

Top 10 highest intercity fares by state

Abia – N10,998.89
Ondo – N10,978.07
Abuja – N10,950.49
Ogun – N10,773.64
Kaduna – N10,560.13
Katsina – N10,402.12
Enugu – N10,230.78
Zamfara – N10,085.53
Cross River – N10,056.60
Lagos – N10,045.08

Top 10 highest intra-city fares by state

Zamfara – N1,803.10
Lagos – N1,704.03
Taraba – N1,703.88
Osun – N1,600.48
Ogun – N1,582.37
Benue – N1,578.92
Enugu – N1,565.64
Kaduna – N1,527.95
Cross River – N1,524.20
Nasarawa – N1,502.11

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that petrol prices at filling stations operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) in Lagos have been adjusted downward again, bringing relief to motorists amid fluctuating fuel costs. A market survey conducted across several NNPC retail outlets in Lagos showed that the state oil firm has reduced its pump price.