Public Transport in Nigeria

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Unlike the previous episode about Mercedes Benz, Trust Fund Kids (TFKs) in the house cannot relate to this episode; God When! So, as a "non-TFK", I travelled home about 2 weeks ago by public transport and the vehicle I entered was definitely produced before my parents ever thought about conceiving me and yet this vehicle remains somehow road worthy. I am talking about non-other than the Toyota Previa. Aside Interstate travel, I have been opportune to reside in Delta State, Edo State and Oyo State and the kind of public transport in these places differ from one another, these differences will make up the bulk of the discuss in this episode.

INTERSTATE PUBLIC TRANSPORT

On the interstate, most transport companies make use of the Toyota Hiace bus or Sienna, with the only variation being the models from different companies. However, we will be focusing on the grandaddy of vehicles used for interstate travel, the Toyota Previa.


FIRST GENERATION TOYOTA PREVIA

The first generation Toyota Previa, commonly mistaken to be "an older Sienna" is a minivan that was produced by Toyota from 1990 - 1994. Merely looking at the image above, you realize the Previa is a large car. It is capable of sitting comfortably 7 persons, excluding the driver. Some transport companies would even state that they carry 4 persons at the middle, making a total of 8 passengers with each paying an average amount of eight thousand naira (#8,000) and just like that, sixty four thousand naira (#64,000) is made off one trip. 

Another reason this vehicle is still being used for public transport is because of its high fuel efficiency. These drivers fill up the fuel tank at departure and do not need to refill until they reach their destination. Combine spaciousness and fuel efficiency, then you have a perfect commuter. Lastly, it is a Toyota and it is extremely reliable. These vehicles were produced 20+ years ago and they are still able to cope with 7+ hour journeys like it is nothing.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN DELTA STATE (ASABA)

I currently reside in Asaba, Delta State and compared to other places I have been to, Asaba is a relatively small city.  As a result of the small land mass, there is usually no need for vehicles at all. Not surprisingly, the most common means of public transport in Asaba is the Keke-Napep.

Keke-Napep in Delta State

The use of the Keke-Napep is not only synonymous to Asaba alone, as it is also a common means of transportation in Warri, Sapele and other parts of Delta State. The major reason for the use of the Napep is because of it's fuel efficiency. A Napep has a fuel capacity of about 20 litres, which means that with the average fuel price at 250 per liters, a Napep's tank can be filled for five thousand naira (#5000) and it can be used for about a week long of commute.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN EDO STATE (BENIN CITY)

Coming down to Edo State, Benin precisely, the city where I grew up. You cannot drive a mile without seeing an Audi Car, either the Sedan or Wagon being used for public transport. The crazy part of it all, is that some of the models being used were produced in the 1990's just like the Previa and these cars still move. 

(1990) AUDI SEDAN

Unlike Asaba, Benin City is a very large city and a proper vehicle is needed for commute. Hence the use of the 1900's Audi sedans/wagons. The biggest advantage of using these cars being their agility and ruggedness.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN OYO STATE (IBADAN)

I know that quite a number of people reading this either stay or are familiar with Ibadan. Hence, I guess we can all agree that the most popular commuter vehicle in Ibadan is the Nissan Micra. The Nissan Micra is a nimble vehicle used for transport in the very large city of Ibadan. The most common reason for it's use being fuel efficiency. It has a rating of an average of 40 miles per gallon, which means it would need to drive 40 miles to use one gallon of fuel, that is indeed mind boggling. 

(2000) NISSAN MICRA 

I know this episode deviates from the normal, which is talking about fast and luxurious cars, but it is very necessary to bring things home sometimes. I really hope you found this episode interesting as well as enlightening. If so, do drop a comment. Thank you for reading and always remember to Turbo that engine. 


Comments

Anonymous said…
Nice write-up 🤩, I look forward to seeing vehicles used in other states too.
November 30, 2022 at 3:40 AM
Anonymous said…
Burst my head !!! This is bringing turbonerds to the real trenches. In Ilorin, the most commonly used is the Mazda 323 and the shuttle buses. In Jos, should be the Peugeot 504 station wagon. Most cities have adapted the shuttle buses and keke napep. Kudos my bro!
November 30, 2022 at 8:24 AM
Anonymous said…
You forgot to write about the legedez Benz 😂😂 nice write up enjoyed this
November 30, 2022 at 8:41 AM
Ank said…
🥵🥵
November 30, 2022 at 9:18 AM
EBUNMIDE ADENIRAN said…
Thank you. Will get to that in some other episode
December 1, 2022 at 12:33 AM
wisdom said…
I remember the common talk "won lo mi ni ilo micra" which stands to mean someone has been exhausted from work. Wonderful post really
December 1, 2022 at 9:07 AM
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