Despite security concerns, including fears of kidnapping along major highways, Nigerians travelling for the Yuletide, particularly to the South-East, are snapping up road transport tickets at sharply increased prices, findings have shown.
Checks over the past few days revealed a rush for seats at major transport companies, even as fares climbed far above last year’s levels.
This comes against the backdrop of heightened insecurity on inter-state roads and economic pressures.
During the last Yuletide season, fares for 15-seater buses averaged about N32,000 before the festivities, rising to around N41,500 during the peak period in December 2024.
This year, however, transport costs have risen significantly higher.
A review of booking platforms for several transport companies over the week showed what could be described as an astronomical increase in fares.
Trips from Lagos to Enugu, Onitsha, Asaba, and other parts of the South-East and South-South now range between N58,000 and N73,000 for 15-seater buses, depending on distance.
Despite the steep costs, travellers were found purchasing tickets days ahead of Christmas.
As of Saturday, checks on the GUO Transport website showed that only one ticket remained on the second 15-seater bus scheduled to depart Lagos for Onitsha on Tuesday, with all seats on the first bus already sold out.
The fare for the route stood at N70,000 per passenger.
Similarly, a Sienna bus on the same Lagos–Onitsha route had only two seats left, despite a ticket price of N85,500.
The situation was no different for buses heading to Owerri on the same day, as all seats on the first bus had been taken, while only one seat remained on the second bus.
Tickets for the Sienna bus on the route, priced at N95,000 per passenger, were completely sold out.
For travellers heading to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, and Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, only six seats remained on each 15-seater bus scheduled for Monday, with tickets selling at N73,000 per head.
The same pattern was observed for buses bound for Benin, Edo State, where tickets were priced at N61,000.
On the Lagos–Asaba route from Iyana Ipaja, only one seat was available on the second bus scheduled to depart on Sunday, with the fare fixed at N70,000.
Similarly, only five seats remained on the first bus heading to Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on Monday, with tickets costing N73,000 each.
As of Friday, December 12, checks showed that only five seats were available on the first 15-seater bus heading to Aba on Saturday, also priced at N73,000 per ticket.
On the same day, no seats were available on a N64,000-per-ticket 15-seater bus scheduled to leave Ajah, Lagos, for Nnewi six days later.
A similar trend was observed on the website of Good Is Good Motors.
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