Despite a recent reduction in fuel pump price and the Federal Government’s rollout of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as an alternative to Premium Motor Spirit, Nigerians continue to groan under the burden of skyrocketing transport fares.
Investigations conducted across major motor parks in Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo States revealed sustained complaints from passengers and commercial drivers over the exorbitant fares, which many blame on unchecked levies imposed by transport unions.
Thirty-one passengers interviewed lamented that transport fares have remained steep, with little to no respite since Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) surged to as high as N1,200 per litre. Many routes have seen fare increases of up to 400% since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed office.
Findings also showed that commercial transporters are compelled to pay multiple statutory levies — booking fees, loading fees, and ticket fees — daily. These charges vary depending on the leadership of individual parks and local government regulations but are paid to union operatives, often to the detriment of drivers and, ultimately, commuters.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics’ Transport Fare Watch for April 2024, the average fare for intercity bus travel jumped to N7,122.57, compared to N3,994.51 recorded in April 2023. Although a marginal 0.43% month-on-month decrease was noted, with the average fare dropping from N7,152.97 in March 2024, the year-on-year spike remains alarming.
On Iwo Road, a passenger en route to Ondo, Ayinla Idris, decried the impact of transport costs on his small business.
“My business is dying. Transport costs have become unbearable. The government’s efforts to subsidize transportation are being frustrated by park unions who operate like a cartel. What’s worse, many of them are untrained and unaccountable,” he said.
He recalled being humiliated by members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) for trying to mediate a dispute between a driver and the union.
“These daily levies have led to a transport system that suffocates small businesses. Goods arrive at higher prices because drivers inflate fares to make up for illegal payments demanded at parks,” Idris added.
Another commuter, Iyinola Aderibigbe, criticized the government’s silence over what she described as “state-sanctioned extortion,” noting that overloaded buses and poor safety practices have become rampant.
“Transport unions operate with impunity, squeezing both drivers and passengers. The government has practically handed over public transport to area boys,” she said.
Commercial drivers are not left out of the complaints. Adediwura Kazeem, a driver based in Ogun State, described the current system as a trap that keeps drivers perpetually impoverished.
“By the time you fuel your vehicle, pay your mechanic, and settle the unions, there’s almost nothing left. Many drivers end up abandoning their vehicles because they can’t afford repairs, only to take another bus on higher purchase. It’s a vicious cycle,” Kazeem lamented.
He appealed to the government to urgently regulate the transportation sector, stressing the need to protect the livelihoods of drivers and ease the burden on ordinary Nigerians.
While the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI) has made headlines with its $491 million investment drive and a series of mini-LNG projects, many fear the impact may not be felt until fundamental issues around union control and sector regulation are addressed.
For now, both drivers and passengers continue to navigate a system fraught with inefficiency, exploitation, and economic hardship — despite the government’s promise of a better and more affordable transportation future.
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