Airfares increase 11.8 percent in September – NBS

The average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey, increased by 11.76 percent on a month-on-month from N65,042 in August 2022 to N72,691 in September 2022, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.

On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 96.87 percent from N36,923 in September 2021. Transport costs have continued to rise as a result of the country’s rising inflation, among others, which has an impact. In its most recent report, the Transport Fare Watch report, the National Bureau of Statistics noted an increase in all modes of transportation across zones.

The NBS’ Transport Fare Watch report presents data covering bus journeys within the city per drop, constant route, bus journey intercity, state route, and charge per person. It also covers airfare charges for specified routes’ single journey, journey by motorcycle (Okada) per drop, and waterway passenger transport.

From N602.48 in August 2022 to N615.69 in September 2022, the average fare that commuters pay for bus trips within the city each drop has increased by 2.19 percent on a monthly basis, however, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop, increased by 41.42 percent year over year, from N435 in September 2021 to N616 in September 2022.

In another category, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop rose to N3,790 in September 2022 indicating an increase of 0.27 percent on a month-on-month compared to the value of N3,780 in August 2022. On a year-on-year, the fare prices rose by 44.61 percent from N2,621 in September 2021.

The average transport fare paid on Okada transportation was N435 in September 2022 which was 1.15 percent lower than the rate recorded in August 2022, N439.80 on a month-on-month basis. While on a year-on-year, the fare rose by 41.79 percent when compared with September 2021, N306.80.

Whereas the average fare paid for water transport (waterway passenger transportation) in September 2022 increased toN980 showing a growth of 0.61 percent on a month-on-month basis, from N974 in August 2022. On year-on-year, the fare rose by 15.44 percent from N849 in September 2021 to N980 in September 2022.

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At the state level, Delta recorded the highest air transport charges (for specified routes single journeys) with N76,500 in September 2022, followed by Rivers with N76,000. Conversely, Niger recorded the least fare with N65,000. The bus journey within the city (per drop constant route), at the state level, recorded Taraba the highest with N820.70 followed by Bauchi State with N785.30. On the other hand, Anambra State recorded the least fares with N498 followed by Borno with N459.

For intercity bus travel (state route charged per person fare) in September 2022, the highest fare was recorded in Abuja with N5,952 followed by Adamawa with N5,225. The least fares were recorded in Bayelsa with N2,450 followed by Kwara with N1,697.

Distribution of transport fare categories by zones shows that in September 2022, transport fares of bus journeys within the city recorded the highest in the North-East with N665 followed by South-South with N642.24. While the South-West recorded the least with N576.

In terms of bus journey intercity, the South-West had the highest fare with N4,116 followed by and North-East with N3,922, while the North-West recorded the least with N3,610.

South-South recorded the highest fare of air transport in September 2022 with N74,150, followed by South-West with N74,133, while North-Central had the least with N70,2856.