Air travel cost in Nigeria rises by18 percent

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said the average fare that air passengers paid for specified route single journey increased by 18.90 percent year-on-year to N36,552.70 in May 2021 from N36,409.46 in April 2021.

It also noted that the fare rose by 0.39 percent month-to-month.

The “Transport Fare Watch – May 2021” showed that “average fare paid by air passengers for specified routes single journey increased by 0.39% month-on-month and by 18.90% year-on-year to N36,552.70 in May 2021 from N36,409.46 in April 2021.

According to the report, States with highest air fare were Bauchi (N38,600.00), Anambra, Lagos, Rivers (N38,500.00), Abuja FCT (N38,000.00) while States with lowest air fare were Akwa-Ibom (N32,600.00), Sokoto (N33,600.00), and Enugu (N35,400.00).

The Transport fare Watch report for May 2021 covers the following categories namely 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 (Okada) per drop; and water way passenger transport.

It also revealed that average fare paid by commuters for bus journey within the city increased by 3.36% month-on-month and by 79.39% year-on-year to N399.06 in May 2021 from N386.10 in April 2021. NBS said States with highest bus

journey fare within city were Zamfara (N643.10), Bauchi (N599.55) and Taraba (N520.38) while States with lowest bus journey fare within city were Oyo (N202.15), Abia (N215.04) and Borno (N269.77).

The report said average fare paid by commuters for bus journey intercity increased by 1.79% month-on-month and by 38.09% year-on-year to N2, 490.60 in May 2021 from N2,446.86 in April 2021.

According to the data, States with highest bus journey fare intercity were Abuja FCT (N4,600.47); Lagos (N3,570.64) and Sokoto (N3,370.24) while States with lowest bus journey fare within city were Bayelsa (N1,780.22), Bauchi (N1,800.06) and Enugu (N1,827.10).

It added that States with highest fare by water way passenger transport were Delta (N2,450.60), Bayelsa (N2,386.42) and Rivers (N2,295.25) while states with lowest fare by water way passenger transport were Borno (N263.85), Gombe (N320.40) and Kebbi (N360.09).

Nation/Hauwa Abu