The cost of transportation in Nigeria, through different modes, maintained a monthly increase in the first 3 months of 2022 as tracked by the National Bureau of Statistics, with effect to the increase in the fuel price during this period.
NBS’ transport watch showed that the average fare paid by air passengers for a single journey on specified routes increased from N38,352.19 in January 2022 to N44,825.04 in February 2022, a 16.88 percent change and to N 46,810.62 in March 2022, a 4.43 percent change. On a year-on-year basis, the fare rose by 5.18 percent from N36,463.65 in January 2021 to N38,352.19 in January 2022, 22.95 percent (N36,458.11) in February 2021 and 28.26percent (N36,495.41) in March 2021.
The average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity per drop rose to N3,270.94 in March 2022 indicating an increase of 5.29percent on a month-on-month compared to the value of N3,106.72 in February and 0.90 percent on a month-on-month compared to the value of N2,801.34 in January 2022.
Similarly, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city (per drop) increased by 5.00 percent a month-on-month from N 476.39 in January 2022 to N500.20 in February 2022, to N513.72 in February 2022 to N536.35 in March 2022, 4.41 percent.
In terms of year-on-year, however, the average fare paid by commuters for bus journeys within the city per drop rose by 42.17 percent from N 377.27 in March 2021 to N536.35 in March 2022.
The average fare paid by commuters for journeys by motorcycle per drop increased by 11.20 percent on month-on-month from N340.94 in January 2022 to N379.12 in February 2022 to N395.12 in March 2022, a 4.22 percent increase, and on a year-on-year change, the fare rose by 45.57 percent from N 271.44 in March 2021 to N395.12 in March 2022.
Read also: 3 things you should know about water transport in Lagos
The average fare paid for water transport (waterway passenger transportation) stood at N 890.03 in March 2022 showing a decrease of 2.53 percent month-on-month from N 913.13 in February 2022 but had an increase of 2.80 percent month-on-month from N888.24 in January 2022 and on a year-on-year, the fare rose by 10.10 percent from N 808.38 in March 2021 to N890.03 in March 2022.
At the state level, the air transport charges (for specified routes single journey) from January to March 2022, were the most expensive in Bayelsa, Benue, Abuja Yobe state and Kebbi state with N50,686, N40,122, N53,000, N65,000 and N59,874 respectively. Conversely, Kwara and Akwa Ibom had the least fare with N35,753.13 and N34,377.45 respectively, Edo, Bauchi and Abia with N40,000 each, Ekiti and Enugu with N 38,953.75, and N39,620.80 respectively.
For intercity bus travel (state route charged per person fare), the highest fares recorded within the first 3 months were Abuja, Kaduna, Adamawa and Lagos, with N5,000, N4,167, N4,233 and N3,753 respectively and the least fares were recorded in Bayelsa, Abia, Bauchi and Edo with N1,914, N 2,058.33, N 2,017.14 and N 1,883.33 respectively.
In terms of bus journey, within the city (per drop constant route) for the last three months were, Zamfara, Bauchi, Nassarawa and Taraba states, with prices ranging from N655.08 to N805.33. However, Oyo, Abia, Benue and Anambra recorded the least fare from prices ranging as low as N100.00 to N403.57. Motorcycle transport fares recorded the highest in Lagos for the three months consecutively with N618.38, while Adamawa and Kebbi recorded the least fare, N191.11 and N205.63 respectively.
Likewise, water transport fares were highest in Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers with N2,900 as the highest fare, while, Borno State with N315.39 followed by Benue with N333.33 recorded the least fare.
The resources used to fuel most vehicles used as a means of transport are the Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) and Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel), which also had a hike in price.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) increased to N185.30 in March 2022 indicating a 7.31% increase when compared to the value recorded in March 2021 (N172.68), on a month-on-month basis, the average retail price increased from N170.42 in February 2022 showing an increase of 8.73% when compared to the average retail price paid by consumers in March 2022.
States with the highest average retail price for Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) were recorded in Enugu with N218.33 followed by Ebonyi and Cross River with N215.00 and N214.41 respectively. On the other hand, states with the lowest average retail price for petrol were Jigawa, Benue and Nassarawa with N165.71, N165.50 and N165.45 respectively.
Similarly, the average retail price of Automotive Gas Oil (Diesel) paid by consumers increased by 129.10 percent from N235.41 in March 2021 to N539.32 recorded in March 2022.
On a month-on-month basis, the average retail price increased from N311.98 in February 2022 indicating a rise of 72.87 percent when compared to the average retail price paid in March 2022 and an 87.2 percent hike when compared to the retail price of N288.09 paid in January.
States with the highest average retail price for Automotive Gas Oil(Diesel) were recorded in Lagos with N668.75 followed by Ekiti and Abia with N672.14 and N645.00 respectively. On the other hand, states with the lowest average retail price for diesel were Borno, Yobe and Bauchi with N432.00, N412.00 and N408.00 respectively.
More so, the highest average retail price of petrol was recorded in the South-East zone with N210.846 while the North-Central had the least average retail price with N168.40, while the highest average retail price of diesel was recorded in the South-West zone with N619.11 and the North-East recorded the lowest price with N450.17.
