Getting Around Lafia
Lafia is the capital of Nasarawa State in Nigeria's North Central region, and it sits on the main highway between Makurdi and Jos as well as on the trunk railway from Port Harcourt. For a visitor, the practical reality is that the city is served by road-based transport: commercial motorcycles, tricycles, minibuses and taxi cabs are the everyday ways people move around, and there is no metro or tram system to plan around.
Rail
Lafia is served by the main narrow gauge railway that begins at Port Harcourt, and the city's railway is connected to the East Line railway axis. In practice, travelling to Lafia by train is less popular than it used to be, because the railway sector in Nigeria is struggling. Treat rail as an option that exists on paper rather than a dependable way to arrive or to get around once you are in town, and confirm current service before building plans around it.
Buses and Other Public Transport
Minibuses form the backbone of shared public transport within Lafia, alongside tricycles and commercial motorcycles. For longer journeys into the city, many public transport companies run bus shuttle services from cities in neighbouring states such as Benue, Kogi, Plateau and Abuja, as well as from elsewhere in the country. Small-scale transporters also carry travellers in from other parts of Nasarawa State and its environs.
Notable road transporters serving Lafia include:
- Aminu Transport Services, with a bus terminal in New Nyanya
- ABC Transport, with a bus terminal along Jos Road
Buying a seat is generally a matter of turning up at the relevant motor park or terminal and paying the conductor or booking office; there is no citywide ticket or travel pass that covers buses, tricycles and motorcycles together, so budget for each trip separately.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxi shuttle cabs operate in Lafia and can be chartered rather than shared. Chartered taxi journeys are considerably more expensive than the shared modes, so agree the fare before you set off.
Walkability
Lafia is a compact administrative and trading city, and short trips on foot between nearby destinations are feasible. Lafia's climate is a practical consideration: the hot season from January through April brings daily highs typically above 34 °C, with March the hottest month, while the rainy season is overcast and oppressive. Plan longer walks for the cooler parts of the day and carry water.
Getting From the Airport Into the City
Lafia's own airport, the Nasarawa Cargo Airport, was still under construction as of June 2021, so visitors generally fly into one of the airports in neighbouring cities and continue by road. The relevant airports are:
- Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja
- Kaduna Airport in Kaduna State
- Yakubu Gowon Airport in Jos, Plateau State
These airports are relatively close to Lafia. The average road journey from them to Lafia takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, and a taxi costs in the region of ₦17,900. If you would rather not take a taxi the whole way, you can travel by road into Lafia from the surrounding states and Abuja using the bus companies and small-scale transporters described above.
Practical Summary
- Everyday movement in Lafia: commercial motorcycles, tricycles, minibuses and taxi cabs.
- No metro or tram network; rail exists via the narrow gauge line from Port Harcourt but is not a popular or reliable option.
- Buses connect Lafia with Benue, Kogi, Plateau, Abuja and beyond; Aminu Transport Services and ABC Transport are among the notable operators.
- Taxis can be chartered and cost far more than shared modes; agree the fare first.
- Fly into Abuja, Kaduna or Jos and finish the trip by road, since Lafia's own airport was under construction as of mid-2021.