Nigerians pay more for festive travel despite security concerns
As the festive season approaches, many Nigerians are rushing to buy expensive road transport tickets, even with ongoing fears of kidnapping along highways. Ticket prices for popular routes to the South-East and South-South have soared, with some fares more than doubling compared to last year. Despite the high costs and security risks, travellers say the importance of returning home for the Yuletide outweighs their concerns. Many are booking tickets days in advance to secure seats for themselves and their families.
What we know
- Road transport fares for the Yuletide have risen sharply, with some tickets now costing between N58,000 and N95,000 per passenger as of December 2024.
- Major routes from Lagos to cities like Enugu, Onitsha, Asaba, and Owerri are seeing tickets sell out days ahead of Christmas.
- Travellers, including traders like Okechukwu Eze and Okafor, say returning home for Christmas is essential, regardless of price or security fears.
- Many buses are fully booked despite concerns about kidnapping and insecurity on inter-state roads.
- Calls for better security on buses have been made, but transport companies like GUO have not responded to inquiries.
