Average Transport Fare Increases As Government Eases Lockdown
Following the extension of the third phase of eased lockdown, the average transport fares across the four modes of transportation have increased considerably.
This is according to the Transport Fare Watch data for July 2020 provided by the National Bureau of Statistics.
The Transport Fare Watch report covers the following categories: bus journey within the city per drop constant route; bus journey intercity, state route, charge per person; air fare charge for specified routes single journey; journey by motorcycle per drop; and waterway passenger transport.
The hike in average fares paid is coming on the back of the COVID-19 pandemic and a government-imposed lockdown which lasted over four months, necessitating in job losses and a contraction of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
The NBS said the average fare paid by commuters for bus journey within the city increased by 7.62 per cent month-on-month and by 26.41 per cent year-on-year to N247.46 in July 2020 from N229.94 in June 2020.
Similarly, the average fare paid by commuters in intercity buses increased by 4.09 per cent month-on-month and by 17.24 per cent year-on-year to N1,898.14 in July 2020 from N1,823.62 in June 2020.
The statistics office ranked the states with the highest bus journey fare within city as Zamfara with N500.40; Nassarawa, N358.20; and Cross River, N350 while states with lowest bus journey fares within city were Bauchi N145.10; Rivers N170; and Kebbi N170.20.
Also, states with the highest bus journey fare intercity were the FCT N4,190; Sokoto N2,734 and Adamawa N2,700; while states with lowest bus journey fare within city were Bauchi N1,250.20; Enugu/Kano N1,260; and Bayelsa N1,283.60
According to the report, the average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes on a single journey increased by 19.09 per cent month-on month and by 19.79 per cent year-on-year to N36,611.22 in July 2020 from N30,743.65 in June 2020.
Moreso, the average fare paid by commuters for journey by motorcycle per drop increased by 9.06 per cent month-on-month and by 45.38 per cent year-on-year to N172.46 in July 2020 from N158.14 in June 2020.
The average fare paid by passengers for waterway passenger transport also increased by 3.42 per cent month-on-month and by 17.67 per cent year-on-year to N648.26 in July 2020 from N626.81 in June 2020.
Safety and environment consultant, Patrick Adenusi, opined that poor regulation of the sector had encouraged profiteering motorists to take advantage of the situation.
He said, “Due to the pandemic, the capacity of buses, cars and even the airplanes were proposed to reduce. To avoid that motorists pushed for an increase in fares which commuters didn’t object to.
“However, poor enforcement on the side of government, coupled with very poor enlightening campaigns enabled motorists carry full capacity and hike the fares.”
Adenusi noted that due to the poor regulation of the transport sector, commuters would pay more for transport following the recent increase in pump price.
