Osogbo Korope Drivers Announce New Fare Regime, Minimum Fare Now N300

Commercial minibus operators in Osogbo, Osun State, have announced a new fare regime, with the minimum fare for short trips within the capital now fixed at N300, citing the rising cost of petrol and vehicle maintenance.

The drivers, operating under the Association of Korope Drivers, made the announcement on Wednesday during a peaceful protest at the Ayetoro area of the state capital, which disrupted transport services along major routes and left many commuters stranded.

The spokesperson for the drivers, Abdulwasiu Osuolale, said the protest was also intended to notify residents of the fare adjustment and to call on the government to investigate the management of daily transport ticket revenues.

“The fuel price has brought a lot of hardship. The leadership of the transport unions is also not treating drivers well. They don’t care about what we are going through. All they care about is the daily ticket money they collect from us,” Osuolale said.

Under the new fare structure, passengers travelling on shorter routes will pay a flat rate of N300. Long-distance trips will attract between N400 and N1,200, depending on the destination.

For instance, trips from Kobo to Owode-Ede, described as the longest route, will now cost N1,200. Passengers travelling from Ota-Efun to Owode-Ede and Owode-Ede to Bolanle/Dele Yes Sir will pay N1,000, while Stadium to Owode-Ede is fixed at N800.

One of the drivers, Adewumi Adeleke, said some operators now spend as much as N40,000 daily on petrol, leaving them with little income after deducting operating expenses.

“How could you be running this business, spending about N40,000 on fuel a day, and when you get home, all you see is just N5,000 or N3,000? The spare parts and everything are too costly, so we are not comfortable with the situation,” Adeleke said.

The drivers also demanded the provision of Compressed Natural Gas refuelling stations in Osun State, arguing that greater access to the alternative fuel would help reduce operating costs.

Residents have expressed concern over the development, describing it as another burden on their finances.

A social media user noted that transport alone could consume about N1,000 daily for a worker travelling to and from work.