The Lagos State Government has issued a statement announcing the conclusion of the 25% fare discount on regulated public transport services, including buses, ferries, and trains.
The discount, which was implemented on February 23, 2024, will end on Sunday, June 2, 2024.
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) made the announcement on Saturday. Starting from Monday, June 3, 2024, commuters in Lagos will no longer benefit from the 25% fare rebate and will be required to pay the full fare as before.
The fare subsidies were introduced by the Lagos State Government between August 2023 and February 2024 as an effort to alleviate the financial burden on residents caused by the removal of fuel subsidies and ongoing economic challenges. Various discounts, ranging from 25% to 50%, were implemented during this period.
The statement posted by LAMATA emphasized that the 25% fare rebate on regulated public transport will end on June 2, 2024, and all fares will return to their original rates from June 3, 2024.
Lagos residents are advised to plan accordingly for the upcoming changes in public transport fares.
In May 2023, the fuel subsidy was removed by President Bola Tinubu’s administration, leading to a nationwide increase in transport fares.
In response, the Lagos State Government initially announced a 50% discount on state-run public transport services, which was later reduced to a 25% discount. However, the 50% discount was discontinued in November 2023 due to a significant increase in the price of diesel.
Following pleas from Lagosians, the state government reintroduced the 25% fare discount in November 2023, which continued until its discontinuation on January 28, 2024.
However, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu reinstated the discount on January 22, 2024, to ease the financial burden on residents facing ongoing economic challenges. Now, with the expiration of the discount, commuters will revert to paying the full fare from June 3, 2024.
