The Lagos State Government has announced an 18 percent hike in fares for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services, set to take effect on February 17, 2025. This adjustment, according to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), is aimed at addressing rising operational costs and ensuring the continued availability of BRT services for the city’s commuters.
In a statement released Thursday, LAMATA explained that the fare increase was necessary to keep up with the escalating costs of running the buses and to maintain the efficiency of the transport system. The authority noted that the adjustment would help in sustaining the operations and guarantee the movement of passengers across Lagos, one of Africa’s busiest cities.
“Due to the increase in the cost of operations and the need to ensure that buses keep running and guarantee your movement around Lagos, this adjustment was required,” the statement read, while seeking the understanding and cooperation of commuters.
This is not the first fare increase for the BRT services. In June 2022, LAMATA had raised fares by N100 on all routes due to the rising cost of diesel and the unavailability of spare parts, which had led to a high number of buses being out of service.
Commuters in Lagos, who rely heavily on the BRT system for daily transportation, are advised to prepare for the changes ahead. Despite the fare hike, the government has reiterated its commitment to providing efficient and reliable transport services to ease the daily commute in the megacity.
