BRT Lagos: routes, fares and how to ride

The big buses gliding past a traffic jam in their own lane are the Lagos BRT: bus rapid transit, the state’s regulated big-bus network. For many commuters it is the most predictable way across the city by road: a fixed fare, a card instead of cash, and, on the corridors with dedicated lanes, a ride that does not sit in the worst of the go-slow.

This guide covers where the BRT runs, what it costs and how to ride it. Fares and routes change, so everything here is as it stood at the time of writing, in October 2026. Check with the operator before you rely on a price.

A short history

• 2008: the first line, “BRT Lite”, was commissioned on 17 March 2008: about 22 kilometres from Mile 12 to CMS on Lagos Island, along Ikorodu Road and Funsho Williams Avenue, with much of it on a segregated busway. The World Bank, which gave technical support, has called it Africa’s first BRT corridor. It was “lite” because it left out some features of classic BRT systems, such as level boarding at elaborate stations.
• 2015: the corridor was extended from Mile 12 to Ikorodu.
• 2020-2021: a second corridor, about 13.7 kilometres from Oshodi to Abule Egba with 14 stations, opened to passengers.
• 2021: fares on the regulated buses went cashless, paid with the Cowry card.
• 2025-2026: the Lekki-Epe corridor was brought into the regulated bus scheme, and in August 2026 the state agreed a plan with the transport unions to bring informal operators, including the danfos, into franchises on eight Quality Bus Corridors.

The main BRT routes and fares

On 2 March 2026, fares on all of Lagos’s Bus Reform Initiative services, the BRT and the standard regulated routes, rose by 13 per cent. These are a selection of the BRT fares from the list the state transport authority, LAMATA, published then:

The regulated “standard route” buses, which run in ordinary traffic, cover many more routes: for example Oshodi to Obalende at ₦630, Ikeja to Obalende at ₦720 and Marina to Lekki at ₦570 on the same list. Fares are reviewed regularly, so they may have moved since; treat the table as a guide.

How to pay: the Cowry card

You cannot pay cash on the BRT. Fares are paid with Cowry, the contactless payment system used on LAMATA-regulated buses and on the Blue and Red rail lines. You load money onto your card and tap to pay. One card works across the regulated buses and the trains, which makes it worth getting even if you only ride now and then. Cowry’s operator said in October 2026 that it handles more than 500,000 passenger trips a day, from about two million regular commuters.

How to ride the BRT

1. Get a Cowry card and top it up before you travel, so you are not stuck at the gate.
2. Find a BRT station or terminal. On the main corridors the stations sit along the dedicated lanes; big terminals include Oshodi, Yaba and TBS.
3. Tap your card to pay and join the queue for your route. Queues at rush hour can be long.
4. Board in order and hold on. Buses fill up at peak times and many passengers stand.
5. Get off at your stop, then switch to a danfo, keke or train for the last stretch if you need to.

BRT or danfo?

Most Lagosians use both. The BRT wins on the corridors it serves: a published fare, a card instead of an argument about change, a big bus, and on the dedicated lanes a quicker ride at rush hour. The danfo wins on reach: it goes down roads the BRT never will, and it does not make you queue at a terminal. A common pattern is a danfo or keke from home to the nearest BRT or rail station, then the BRT or the train for the long middle of the trip, then a short hop at the other end. If you are new to the city, that is a good way to start: learn one corridor well, and fill in the edges as you go.

Tips

• Avoid the peaks if you can. The busiest times on the regulated buses and trains are about 6 to 8 am and 4 to 6 pm.
• Keep your card topped up. A low balance at the gate means a trip back to the queue.
• Combine modes. The Blue Line, open since September 2023, and the Red Line, with regular service since October 2024, take the same card.
• Watch your belongings in crowded buses and at busy terminals.

For the bigger picture of getting around, read our guides to Lagos traffic and to the old big buses the BRT replaced, the molues.

Lagos in AJ Cities

AJ Cities is a free browser game set on the edge of Ajegunle, near the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, and across the road from the wall of Kirikiri prison. There is no BRT in the game; you walk. But it is the same Lagos the buses run through, with container trucks grinding past at all hours and a gate that costs a fortune to get through. Start on the veranda bench at Iloro House in AJ’s story.

How much is the BRT from Ikorodu to TBS?

₦960 at the time of writing (October 2026), after a 13% rise on 2 March 2026. Fares change, so check before you travel.

Can I pay cash on the Lagos BRT?

No. Fares are paid with a Cowry card, which also works on the Blue and Red rail lines.

When did the Lagos BRT start?

The first line, BRT Lite from Mile 12 to CMS, was commissioned on 17 March 2008.

What are the main BRT corridors in Lagos?

Ikorodu to TBS on Lagos Island, via Mile 12, Ketu, Ojota and Maryland, and Oshodi to Abule Egba.