Government Announces New Nationwide Transport Fares After Fuel Price Increment
The Ministry of Transport and Aviation has officially announced a nationwide increase in public transportation fares, effective Thursday, January 29, 2026. The adjustment follows a rise in the national pump price for petrol and diesel, which shifted from NLe 25.00 to NLe 28.50 per litre.
The revised fare structure was developed in collaboration with the Motor Drivers Union and other key stakeholders in the transport sector to offset rising operational costs for drivers.
Under the new pricing regime, standard fares within the capital have seen incremental increases. Key route adjustments include:
Lumley to Regent Road: Increased from NLe 4 to NLe 5.
Waterloo to Bombay Street: Increased from NLe 9 to NLe 12.
Wilberforce to Jui: Increased from NLe 10 to NLe 11.
Waka Fine: Increased from NLe 8 to NLe 12.
For provincial travel and long-distance buses, fares have been adjusted to reflect the NLe 28.50 per litre fuel rate:
Freetown to Kailahun: Increased from NLe 230 to NLe 250.
Freetown to Bo: Increased from NLe 110 to NLe 130.
Freetown to Makeni: Increased from NLe 100 to NLe 120.
Freetown to Kono: Increased from NLe 170 to NLe 190.
The Ministry specifically noted that fares for commercial motorbikes (Okada) and tricycles (Kekeh) operating “pole to pole” have been standardized. The previous price of NLe 4.00 has been increased to NLe 5.00.
In the official press release, the Ministry warned that any deviation from the set proportionate fares will be met with the “full force of the laws of Sierra Leone.”
The agreement was signed by a broad coalition of transport authorities and unions
Below are the detailed tables for the revised transport fares effective Thursday, 29th January, 2026.
1. Freetown Municipality Routes
| No. | Route | Old Fare (NLe) | New Fare (NLe) |
| 1 | Lumley – Regent Road | 4 | 5 |
| 2 | Aberdeen – Regent Road | 4 | 5 |
| 3 | Lumley – Bawbaw | 6 | 7.00 |
| 4 | Waterloo – Bombay Street | 9 | 12.00 |
| 5 | Waterloo – Tokeh | 24 | 25.00 |
| 6 | Wilberforce – Jui | 10 | 11.00 |
| 7 | Lumley – Borbor | 7 | 9.00 |
| 8 | Lumley – Ogoo Farm | 5 | 6.00 |
| 9 | Mess Mess – Eastern Police | 5 | 6.00 |
| 10 | Jui – Lumley | 15 | 16.00 |
| 11 | Grafton – Bombay Street | 9 | 10.00 |
| 12 | Wellington – Eastern Police | 5 | 6.00 |
| 13 | Gloucester – Model | 8 | 10.00 |
| 14 | Regent – Bus Station | 8 | 10.00 |
| 15 | Charlotte St. – Wilberforce | 5 | 7.00 |
| 16 | Calaba Town – Goderich Street | 5 | 7.00 |
| 17 | Brima Lane – Eastern Police | 5 | 6.00 |
| 18 | Waka Fine | 8 | 12.00 |
2. Provincial / Across Border Routes (From Freetown)
For SLRTC Buses and Private Sector Operators
| No. | Route | Old Fare (NLe) | New Fare (NLe) |
| 1 | Freetown – Kailahun | 230 | 250 |
| 2 | Freetown – Kono | 170 | 190 |
| 3 | Freetown – Kabala | 150 | 160 |
| 4 | Freetown – Kenema | 130 | 150 |
| 5 | Freetown – Bo | 110 | 130 |
| 6 | Freetown – Kambia | 100 | 120 |
| 7 | Freetown – Makeni | 100 | 120 |
| 8 | Freetown – Port Loko | 100 | 120 |
| 9 | Freetown – Moyamba | 110 | 130 |
| 10 | Freetown – Matru / Bonthe | 120 | 140 |
| 11 | Freetown – Lunsar | 80 | 90 |
3. Inter-District Routes
| District | Route | Vehicle Type | Old Fare (NLe) | New Fare (NLe) |
| Kenema | Kailahun | 100 | 120.00 | |
| Jendema | 170 | 185.00 | ||
| Segbema | 70 | 75.00 | ||
| Gendema | 180 | 210.00 | ||
| Bo | 50 | 60.00 | ||
| Pamalap | 250 | 260.00 | ||
| Bo | Mattru John | 85 | 90.00 | |
| Rutile | 79 | 85.00 | ||
| Gbangbatoke | 85 | 90.00 | ||
| Makeni | 200 | 210.00 | ||
| Freetown | 130 | 135.00 | ||
| Jendema | 125 | 135.00 | ||
| Taima | 40 | 45.00 | ||
| Pujehun | 60 | 65.00 | ||
| Makeni | Magburaka | 30 | 40.00 | |
| Kabala | Mini-Bus | 120 | 130.00 | |
| Kamabai | 40 | 50.00 | ||
| Kono | 110 | 120.00 | ||
| Lunsar | 50 | 60.00 | ||
| Kamakwei | 120 | 130.00 |
What are the measures placed to monitor the effectiveness and credibility of the stated prices? I meant to understand that these long distance locations within the country have been operating on these new prices, especially Kono and Makeni…
This list should be revisited mor especially the Freetown to the province for Bo it is stated that the new price is NLe 130 but under the Bo to Freetown it’s NLe 135.00 so please let the rectify this issue .
Again from Bo to Kenema with all the previous reduction , we were still paying NLe 50.00 ,so this increment should not affect them by any means because they have been exploiting us before now . Adding NLe 10.00 extra Leones is an uncalled and irrational adjustment as far as they are concerned,
And since this increment last week in pump price of fuel , drivers of Wilberforce to Charlotte street had been asking us to pay NLe 6.00, it really pain me to see the government publication tagging it to NLe 7.00
Please the government should look into this.
These price adjustments are not objectively reflective of realities . Let’s look at Waterloo to Bombay is increased by three Leones , is that commensurate to WAKA FINE that enroute from calaba town last station to Bus station? to have increased it by four Leones ? these pricing formular should be critically and objectively analysed in other to have a fair and true reflection of the pedestrians interest.
What’s special about Waka fine that the price is mor higher than the other busses…ohh salon!!!