As daylight fades and the hum of city life begins to quiet, another kind of movement stirs in Nigeria’s motor parks. In places like Jibowu in Lagos, Utako in Abuja, and Upper Iweka in Onitsha, the night belongs not to sleep, but to motion. Passengers clutch their bags with quiet resolve, drivers rev up aging engines, and hawkers weave through the growing crowds, balancing trays of snacks, water, and essential travel items. This is Nigeria’s twilight commute , a world where night buses dominate, offering hope, convenience, and risk in equal measure.
Despite persistent security threats, treacherous roads riddled with potholes, and the looming fear of breakdowns or robbery, thousands of Nigerians still take to the highways at night. For many, this isn’t a matter of preference, it’s a necessity. Traveling overnight allows them to save on lodging, reach destinations early for business or family commitments, and stretch limited resources in a challenging economy. Often overlooked in national transport discourse, night buses have come to represent more than just a mode of travel, they embody the resilience, resourcefulness, and grit of Nigerians navigating an unpredictable system.
Nigerians continue to board overnight buses by the thousands, not out of ignorance, but with full awareness of the risks. They do so not for convenience or adventure, but out of necessity. For many, it’s a matter of survival.
Among those waiting to board at one of the parks a woman in her early forties, Mrs. Aisha Mohammed. Preparing for her trip , her headscarf pulled tightly in place, eyes heavy with fatigue yet sharp with determination. Like many others, she has made this journey before and knows the dangers that come with it.
Fielding questions from LEADERSHIP Weekend, Mrs. Aisha Mohammed, a passenger preparing for her trip, “I travel at night because it’s cheaper. During the day, the fares are higher and I can’t afford it. I know it’s not safe, but I have to get to my destination. I’ve heard stories of accidents and robberies, and kidnappings but I’ve been lucky so far.”
Despite the dangers, passengers like Aisha continue to brave the night, driven by economic hardship and the pressing demands of daily life. The night bus, though risky, remains a lifeline for those trying to make ends meet in an unforgiving system.
Her words are echoed by others like her. Market women, traders, job seekers; people for whom saving ₦3,000 or ₦5,000 on a trip means feeding their families for another week.
LEADERSHIP Weekend however noticed that it’s not only those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder who brave the risks of night travel. Even professionals and business people find themselves on these precarious journeys.
Among them is Mr. Felix Adeyemi, a businessman dressed in a crisp shirt and carrying a slim briefcase as he waits beside a bus heading to the southeast.
He told this reporter that , “I have a tight schedule, and daytime travel doesn’t fit into my plans. I need to attend meetings and keep appointments during the day, so night travel is my only option. And it’s not like I have a high-paying job that can afford me a car.”
Mr. Adeyemi added that while he tries to take precautions, such as booking with reputable bus companies, he is fully aware that the risk remains.
For professionals with demanding schedules, the night bus has become an indispensable option,an unofficial extension of the working day.
Yet for many passengers, the decision to travel at night goes beyond saving time or money. It’s less a choice and more a reflection of the lack of viable alternatives. With limited infrastructure, unreliable transport options, and economic constraints, the night bus often becomes the only way forward.
A student, Miss Esther Ameh, who was traveling from Abuja back to school in Lafia, told LEADERSHIP Weekend that, “There aren’t many transportation options available, especially for long-distance travel.
Night buses are one of the few options that are relatively affordable, she lamented. “I’m being raised by my mom, and she tries her best to provide my essential needs for school. I have to try to cut down on some expenses, like the transport fare back to school. I’ve considered other modes of transportation, but they’re either too expensive or unreliable. I just hope I get to my destination safely,” she said.
And for others still, it is simply what they have always done. A frequent traveller, Mr Favour Nwosu, said with a shrug.
“I’ve been travelling at night for years, and I’ve gotten used to it. I know the risks, but I’ve learned to navigate them. I’ve developed a sense of which bus companies are safer and which routes to avoid. It’s not ideal, but it’s what I’m used to,” he stated
But the most heart-wrenching reasons are often born from desperation. A concerned son, Mr. Emeka Okoro, stands at the edge of the queue, eyes heavy with worry. “I have to travel to visit my ailing mother, and night buses are the only option I can afford. I know it’s not safe, but I have to take the risk. I’ve heard stories of accidents and robberies, but I’m willing to take that chance to see my mother. It’s a difficult decision, but I feel I have no other choice.”
The risks they all speak of are real. According to data provided by the Federal Road Safety Corps, a significant proportion of fatal road accidents in Nigeria occurs between 8pm and 6am, a window when visibility is poor, fatigue is common, and emergency response is painfully slow. Yet, the passengers keep patronisng the parks.
On the other side of the system, transport companies face a delicate balance, meeting demand while preserving lives. The operations manager at InterCity Express, Mr Godwin Bako, offers an insight.
“We are aware of the dangers, and we do not take them lightly. Our drivers undergo routine training, and we try to enforce strict speed limits. But the reality is that many of our passengers prefer to travel at night. The demand is huge; we have to respond to that.
“We encourage passengers to book early so they can take daytime buses, but often those are not even half full,” he said.
Yet, beyond the operators and passengers, there are organisations pushing for change. Mrs Tolu Ajayi, a coordinator at Safe Roads Nigeria, a nonprofit organisation advocating highway safety and transport reform, said, the persistence of night travel is a reflection of systemic neglect.
“People don’t choose danger; they choose what is available. Until our public transport sector is fully restructured, until flights are affordable, trains are functional, and roads are well-policed, Nigerians will continue to board night buses because they have no better option,” she stated.
She emphasised that the solution is not to shame passengers but to compel action from the government and transport stakeholders.
“We need to stop treating survival as a personal burden; safety should be a collective responsibility,” she added.
Indeed, the night bus is not merely a vehicle. It is a symptom of a larger issue. It is what happens when economic fragility collides with infrastructural decay. It is the cost of unreliable trains, underfunded road safety measures, and transport systems that prioritise profit over protection.
As the engine starts and headlights cut through the dark, passengers board one by one. Some say a prayer under their breath, some check their phones one last time, some simply close their eyes and wait for the road to unravel. The night stretches ahead, long and uncertain.
Nigerians do not ride the night bus because they are fearless; they ride because they are brave. Because courage, in a country of endless compromise, often means boarding a vehicle at midnight and praying to arrive at dawn.
