Nigerians are moving in large numbers for their annual festive reunions despite surging travel costs and lingering security fears, underscoring the enduring pull of family and tradition.
The deterrents of exorbitant airfares and insecurity have done little to slow the seasonal migration, as traffic builds on major routes linking Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, Enugu and Owerri.
Domestic airlines’ digital booking platforms are awash with ‘fully booked’ notices, reflecting a scramble for scarce seats as families race to make it home for the holidays.
For many, insecurity is a secondary concern, as some travellers resort to the road, undeterred by the risks that have come to define inter-state transit in recent years.
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The costs of one-way economy class air tickets from Lagos to popular local destinations such as Abuja, Owerri, Asaba and Enugu have surged to N450,000 to N500,000 as against N130,000 or lower pre-Christmas.
These exorbitant prices have failed to dampen the demand. The influx is fuelled significantly by the Nigerian diaspora, whose return for the holidays remains a cornerstone of the nation’s end-of-year economic activity. For these travellers, the opportunity to reconnect with heritage outweighs the steep fiscal burden.
“I paid N400,000 as airfare from Lagos to Owerri for December 20. This is very expensive, but considering the insecurity on the roads, I just had to pay it. Family reunion is a big deal for me, and the cost of airfares won’t stop me from enjoying time with my family,” Uchenna Uko, a Lagos-based intending traveller, told BusinessDay.
Uzoma Chike, who paid N480,000 for a one-way Lagos–Asaba ticket, said she initially planned to stay back but changed her mind when most of her siblings decided to travel for a major traditional wedding at home.
“With the news flying around about bandits and insecurity, road transportation is definitely not an option for me this period. So, I just had to pay the sum to ensure I’m safe this period,” she told BusinessDay.
Oguwike Chinasa Jennifer, a top staff member of Cinderella Travels and Tours Abuja, told BusinessDay that the surge for travel this year has been more than the previous years, likely driven by insecurity on the roads.
Airlines’ capacity gaps
Christophe Penninck, managing director, Asaba Airport, told BusinessDay that Asaba Airport has been experiencing a surge of passengers, who come mostly from Lagos.
“We are having more than 1,400 passengers daily coming from Lagos and Abuja. The management of the airport has worked hard to get more flights to operate to Asaba. Currently, we have United Nigeria, Air Peace, Aero and Arik,” Penninck said.
He hinted that before the peak days, Asaba recorded around six flights daily, but this has increased to 12 daily flights since the festive season began.
He said an added advantage to flying to Asaba, compared to the other airports in the region, is that the airport is open till 10pm.
“Airlines can comfortably schedule flights till late at night without the risk of cancelling or going to other airports,” the Asaba Airport MD said.
Read also: Why Nigerian air passengers pay higher fares than regional peers
Penninck said more travellers would have loved to travel, but the airlines are still struggling with capacity as they don’t have enough seats available.
To ease pressure, Air Peace recently took delivery of its third Embraer 190 aircraft ahead of the festive rush.
Road transport traction
Road transport is also enjoying a boom, with operators expanding fleets to cope.
Felix Ufewei, a mariner, said he opted to travel by road, describing air travel as too costly.
“After landing at the airport in Akure, I’ll still take a bus to my hometown in Eseodo,” he said, noting that whatever is bound to happen will happen.
Precious Kelechi Korieocha, co-founder, PKO Logistics, told BusinessDay that all buses on their fleet are fully booked for Christmas.
“As I speak to you, we just have one bus on the ground in Lagos to convey people to Onitsha. Our other buses are on their way back to Lagos to pick up passengers. It has really been a challenge for us to handle the surge this period,” Korieocha said.
During a visit to bus parks at First Gate, Festac in Lagos, an Okeyson staff member said that people are travelling this year despite the growing insecurity on the roads, adding, “At night we load three to four luxurious buses, and during the day we load two normal buses.”
Even with easing inflation in 2025 and lower fuel prices, passengers are paying N40,000 and above for trips to the South-East, South-South and the North, more than 70 percent from an average of N35,000 previously.
Data from transport companies show that a one-way God is Good Motors (GIGM) ticket from Lagos to Aba costs N63,250, Owerri N63,000, Enugu N64,500, Awka N60,500 and Yenagoa N60,750. Trips from Lagos to Abuja, Warri and Port Harcourt range between N51,000 and N65,250, depending on route and vehicle type.
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The website also showed that a Toyota Hiace X bus from Lagos(Ikotun) to FCT Abuja(Kubwa) costs N65,250, Delta(Warri) costs N51,000, and a Toyota Hiace bus from Lagos (Ikotun) to Rivers (Port Harcourt) costs N62,500.
This year, insecurity on Nigerian highways grew, with several Nigerians kidnapped.
An SBM Intelligence report, ‘Locust Business: The Economics of Nigeria’s Kidnap Industry – A 2025 Update,’ revealed that between July 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,722 people were abducted in 997 incidents, with 762 deaths recorded. These highlight how kidnappings have evolved into a structured, profit-driven enterprise.
Yet, despite the risks and rising costs, Nigerians continue to travel in droves, driven by tradition, obligation and the enduring importance of family reunions at Christmas.
