Transport Fares Spike By Up To 50% Across Enugu As Christmas, New Year Rush Catches Commuters Off Guard
Transport fares across major routes in Enugu State have surged by as much as 45 to 50 percent less than 12 hours to Christmas Day, leaving many commuters shocked and frustrated as they struggle to travel for end-of-year festivities. SaharaReporters checks conducted on Wednesday revealed that commercial transport operators abruptly increased prices across both inter-city and intra-city routes, citing festive traffic imbalance and rising operational losses.
On the popular Old Park–Eke Obinagu route, fares that previously ranged between ₦400 and ₦500 now cost between ₦700 and ₦800. Similarly, commuters traveling from Old Park to Abakpa, who usually paid ₦400 to ₦500 depending on the time of day, were forced to part with as much as ₦800. Passengers using the Holy Ghost–Agbani Road axis also experienced sharp increases, with fares jumping from ₦500 to ₦900.
Intra-city transportation has not been spared either. Short-distance trips that once cost ₦150 now attract ₦300, while routes previously priced at ₦200 have doubled to ₦400. The sudden hike has disrupted travel plans for many residents, particularly low-income earners trying to reunite with family members during the festive season.
Commercial drivers defended the increase, explaining that the Christmas travel pattern has created a one-way passenger movement, leaving them stranded without return passengers. According to several drivers at Old Park, vehicles often return empty after dropping passengers in residential or rural areas, forcing operators to factor return costs into outgoing fares to avoid running at a loss.
“This festive period is different,” one driver explained. “People are traveling mostly in one direction to their villages. If we don’t adjust fares, we won’t be able to cover fuel and maintenance costs.”
However, commuters have strongly criticised the development, describing it as exploitative and poorly timed. Some passengers argued that with fuel prices lower than in previous months, transport fares should not be increasing. Others accused drivers of taking advantage of the Christmas rush to make excessive profits.
Calls have grown louder for government agencies and transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), to intervene and regulate fares during festive periods. As of the time of reporting, efforts to get responses from union leaders were unsuccessful.
With Christmas and New Year celebrations fast approaching, residents say they are left with little choice but to bear the burden of higher transport costs, adding further strain to an already difficult economic season.
Transport Fares Spike By Up To 50% Across Enugu As Christmas, New Year Rush Catches Commuters Off Guard
Transport fares across major routes in Enugu State have surged by as much as 45 to 50 percent less than 12 hours to Christmas Day, leaving many commuters shocked and frustrated as they struggle to travel for end-of-year festivities. SaharaReporters checks conducted on Wednesday revealed that commercial transport operators abruptly increased prices across both inter-city and intra-city routes, citing festive traffic imbalance and rising operational losses.
On the popular Old Park–Eke Obinagu route, fares that previously ranged between ₦400 and ₦500 now cost between ₦700 and ₦800. Similarly, commuters traveling from Old Park to Abakpa, who usually paid ₦400 to ₦500 depending on the time of day, were forced to part with as much as ₦800. Passengers using the Holy Ghost–Agbani Road axis also experienced sharp increases, with fares jumping from ₦500 to ₦900.
Intra-city transportation has not been spared either. Short-distance trips that once cost ₦150 now attract ₦300, while routes previously priced at ₦200 have doubled to ₦400. The sudden hike has disrupted travel plans for many residents, particularly low-income earners trying to reunite with family members during the festive season.
Commercial drivers defended the increase, explaining that the Christmas travel pattern has created a one-way passenger movement, leaving them stranded without return passengers. According to several drivers at Old Park, vehicles often return empty after dropping passengers in residential or rural areas, forcing operators to factor return costs into outgoing fares to avoid running at a loss.
“This festive period is different,” one driver explained. “People are traveling mostly in one direction to their villages. If we don’t adjust fares, we won’t be able to cover fuel and maintenance costs.”
However, commuters have strongly criticised the development, describing it as exploitative and poorly timed. Some passengers argued that with fuel prices lower than in previous months, transport fares should not be increasing. Others accused drivers of taking advantage of the Christmas rush to make excessive profits.
Calls have grown louder for government agencies and transport unions, including the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), to intervene and regulate fares during festive periods. As of the time of reporting, efforts to get responses from union leaders were unsuccessful.
With Christmas and New Year celebrations fast approaching, residents say they are left with little choice but to bear the burden of higher transport costs, adding further strain to an already difficult economic season.
