From ₦900 to ₦3,300 fuel hike: 6 countries you can still travel to by road

• Nigeria's aviation sector is under pressure due to a 300% increase in Jet A1 fuel prices.

• The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, has appealed to airlines to avoid immediate fare hikes or suspensions.

• A high-level meeting with stakeholders is scheduled for April 22 to find a resolution to the fuel crisis.

• As air travel becomes less affordable, road travel across West Africa, including countries like Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Guinea, offers an affordable and available alternative for Nigerian travellers.

Nigeria’s aviation sector is once again under pressure, and this time, it’s hitting both airlines and everyday travellers where it hurts the most: their pockets.

With Jet A1 fuel reportedly jumping from ₦900 to ₦3,300 per litre in just a few weeks, airline operators have warned they may have no choice but to suspend flights. That possibility has triggered concern across the sector, particularly for Nigerians who rely heavily on air travel for business, family, and leisure purposes.

In response, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, issued a strongly worded appeal to the Airline Operators of Nigeria, urging calm and restraint while the government works on a solution.

In his letter dated April 16, 2026, he acknowledged the strain on airlines but cautioned against immediate reactions that could worsen the situation for passengers.

“I write in reference to your correspondence dated April 14, 2026, concerning the operational challenges currently confronting your member airlines, especially the sudden hike in Jet A1 fuel from N900 per liter as at February 28, 2026, to N3.300 per liter as at today, representing a three hundred percent (300 %) increase.”

READ ALSO: No fuel relief, no flights from April 20, airline operators threaten shutdown as jet fuel hits ₦3,300

And perhaps more critically:

He went on to appeal directly to operators:

“First, I urge your members to exercise restraint with respect to any proposed increase in airfares at this time… any immediate upward adjustment in ticket prices would impose significant hardship on the travelling public…”

“Secondly, I appeal for the reconsideration of any planned suspension of flight operations… Such action would have far-reaching adverse implications for the national economy…”

To address the crisis, Keyamo also revealed that a high-level stakeholders’ meeting has been scheduled for April 22 in Abuja, where government officials and industry players are expected to find a “prompt, practical, and sustainable resolution.”

But while those conversations are ongoing, many Nigerians, especially frequent travellers, are already thinking ahead: if flights become too expensive or unavailable, what are the alternatives?

Interestingly, road travel across West Africa is quietly stepping back into the spotlight.

Long before budget airlines and quick domestic hops became the norm, Nigerians were already crossing borders by road, for trade, relocation, and even leisure. That culture hasn’t disappeared. In fact, it’s still very much alive.

From Lagos, travellers can still make their way across several West African countries without stepping into an airport.

Ghana remains one of the most popular options, with daily luxury buses running the Lagos–Accra route. For many young Nigerians, it’s already a go-to destination, and road travel hasn’t slowed that down. Current route guides put the trip at roughly 450 to 500 km and about 9 to 12 hours by road, with bus fares ranging from about ₦35,000 to ₦70,000 depending on seat class and operator.

Further along the coast, Ivory Coast (Abidjan) has long been accessible by road, with dedicated motor parks in places like Ejigbo in Lagos serving travellers heading in that direction. The Lagos-Abidjan road distance is about 985 km, with estimations of about 15 to 24 hours by bus, and transport fare of about ₦35,000 to ₦70,000.

Countries like Togo and Benin Republic often serve as transit points, but if you’re willing to go farther, destinations like Sierra Leone (Freetown) and Liberia (Monrovia) are also reachable by direct or connected road transport, sometimes within 24 hours, depending on the route.

The Lagos-Monrovia road distance is about 1,944 km, with estimates about 40 hours and 22 minutes. If you piece the route together through Accra and Abidjan, then add the Abidjan-Monrovia bus fare of $63 to $66, your transport budget comes to roughly ₦206,000 to ₦245,000.

The Lagos-Freetown road distance is about 2,374 km, and at about 2 days, 7 hours by bus and ferry via Abidjan, or about 37 hours and 30 minutes if you could drive it straight. The clearest public estimate right now is Rome2Rio’s current transport-only drive cost of about ₦430,000 to ₦631,600.

For the more adventurous, Guinea, Senegal, The Gambia, and even Guinea-Bissau are all on the map. Some of these journeys require multiple border crossings and longer travel times, but they remain viable, especially within the ECOWAS region, where movement is relatively easier for Nigerians.

A bus from Lagos to Conakry is about 2,476 km, with a time estimation of 39 hours by direct drive and about 2 days and 3 hours overland by bus. Current route estimates put the Lagos-Conakry road cost at about ₦403,100 to ₦604,700.

Dakar, however, is one of the longest and toughest options on this list. The Lagos-Dakar road distance is about 3,089 km, and estimates about 2 days 7 hours by bus or about 46 hours 55 minutes if driving. Its current cost estimate is ₦510,600 to ₦806,300.

Of course, road travel comes with its own realities, long hours, unpredictable border delays, and varying transport conditions, but for many, it offers something flights currently cannot: affordability and availability.

So, while the aviation sector works through yet another turbulent phase, Nigerians who still want to move, explore, or simply get away may not be entirely grounded.

They might just have to take the long road instead.