Crazy transport fares: Lagosians recount ordeals
For Lagos residents, navigating the bustling metropolis has become an increasingly costly and harrowing experience.
As transportation costs continue to soar, commuters are left grappling with life-altering challenges, reshaping their daily routines and livelihood. The once-affordable fares for daily commuting have spiralled out of control.
Vanguard gathered a few snapshot of the current transport fare hikes in Lagos.
Lekki to Ajah: Once N400, now N1000; Ajah to CMS: Previously N700, now N2000-N2500; CMS to Costain: Previously N100, now N300; Costain to Ikeja: Once N400–N500, now N1000;
Oshodi to Ojota: Previously N300–N400, now N700–N800; Oshodi to Mile 2: Once N300–N400, now N500–N700; Abule Egba to Oshodi: Previously N400–N500, now N700 (up to N1000 during peak periods); Amukoko to Mile 2: Previously N700 now N1500; and Mile 2 to Badagry: Previously N1500, now N2500.
Speaking to a few residents, Adaku, a young professional who lives in Gbogije, in the Lekki-Epe area of Lagos, shared her struggles.
She said: “After landing a promising job on Victoria Island, I found myself spending N6,000 daily on transportation. The financial burden proved unsustainable, forcing me to quit.
“I wanted to make a living but instead, I found myself spending everything I earned on transportation.”
Her story mirrors the plight of many Lagosians, whose aspirations were being crushed by the soaring cost of commuting.
BRT: A fading lifeline
While the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, system, which was once a beacon of hope for affordable transport, its challenges were now causing more pain than relief.
Commuters like Kemi, who resides in Ajah and works in CMS, expressed frustration at the system’s unreliability.
She explained: “Waiting for BRT means being late to work because of the long queues. In the evenings, it’s even worse, there are hardly any bus available. By then, regular buses charge between N2,000 and N2,500 to Ajah.
“For those going beyond, fares soar between N3,000 and N3,500. We are passing through hell.”
In fact, a distraught parent recounted spending N10,000 for his child to commute from Gbogije to the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Akoka, to collect a certificate, adding: “People are just suffering because of this madness.”
For commuters like Mr. Kingsley, evenings in Mile 2 have become synonymous with frustration. “We are suffering in this country. In fact, we are too docile. Can you believe that Mile 2 to the First Gate is N400? We are in trouble,” he said.
From Mile 2 to Badagry, transportation costs have risen to N2,500, up from N1,500. Similarly, traveling from Amukoko to Mile 2 now costs N1,500, compared to the previous N500.
Another Lagos commuter from the Abule Egba axis, Mr. Kola Bolaji, shared his concerns, saying: “Going from Abule Egba to Oshodi used to cost N400–N500 but now costs N700 and most times far more. On high-demand days, like Mondays and Friday nights, the fare could soar to N1000.
“Everybody is saying the same thing, the country is hard. Some people support the reform agenda, but others ask: ‘How long must we suffer before we see the benefits?’”
Significant lifestyle changes
Meanwhile, for Lagosians like Bola, who works on Lagos Island but lives in Ikorodu, transportation costs have forced significant lifestyle changes.
She said: “Many workers now opt to stay on the Island during the week to save on commuting costs. This creates a rush on Mondays when they leave for work and Fridays when they return home.”
Even ferry services, once a cost-effective alternative, have become exorbitant.
According to her, “The fare from Ikorodu to the Island has risen from N500 to N3,000 per trip. Coupled with ancillary costs like bike fares to jetties, commuting expenses can reach N6,000 daily.
“For example, I live around the Igbogbo area of Ikorodu. I have to spend N500 just to get to the jetty. It’s not funny.”
The transportation crisis in Lagos has broader implications affecting not just commuters but also the courier, logistics, and transport industries that rely on an efficient system.
Stakeholders and many commuters are calling for urgent government intervention to stabilise fares, expand affordable transport options and invest in sustainable infrastructure such as more BRT buses.
