Six Nigerian states raised more revenue through MDAs than taxes in 2025

Key Takeaways

  • Six states generated about ₦656 billion through MDAs in 2025, nearly half of all MDA revenue.
  • The number of states where MDAs accounted for over half of IGR fell from seven in 2024 to six in 2025.
  • Enugu’s MDA share rose from 82.9% in 2024 to 87.3% in 2025, widening its lead.
  • Kwara, Katsina and Osun recorded MDA shares of 61.6%, 60.1% and 58.5%, respectively.

Enugu generated ₦355.3 billion through ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in 2025, accounting for 87.3% of the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR). That was more than a quarter of the ₦1.36 trillion generated through MDAs across the 36 states and the FCT.

The other five states where MDA revenue accounted for more than half of IGR were Kwara, Katsina, Osun, Ogun and Ekiti. Together, the six states generated about ₦656 billion through MDAs, nearly half of all MDA revenue recorded nationally.

The number of Nigerian states where MDAs accounted for more than half of IGR rose from two in 2022 to seven in 2024, before falling to six in 2025.

Enugu has become the clearest outlier. Its MDA share rose from 82.9% in 2024 to 87.3% in 2025. Kwara followed at 61.6%, while Katsina and Osun recorded 60.1% and 58.5%, respectively.

Source:

National Bureau of Statistics

Period:

2025
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Related Insights

Lagos, Rivers and the FCT generated 63.5% of state-level PAYE in 2025
  • Lagos, Rivers and the FCT collected 63.5% of state-level PAYE in 2025.
  • Lagos collected ₦993.3 billion in PAYE, more than the next five jurisdictions combined.
  • The top 10 jurisdictions accounted for 81.5% of ₦2.636 trillion in total PAYE.
  • The bottom five jurisdictions collected ₦47.0 billion combined, less than 2% of the total.
  • Delta collected ₦139.7 billion, less than half of the FCT’s ₦320.1 billion.

Enugu State recorded the sharpest IGR increase in 2024, growing over fivefold
  • Enugu led the country in IGR growth in 2024 with a 433% increase.
  • Bayelsa, Jigawa, Kano, and Osun also experienced large year-on-year increases, indicating widening fiscal activity across regions.
  • Lagos, Rivers, and the FCT recorded slower growth rates but still generated the largest total revenues.
  • The fastest growth often came from states focused on reforming tax systems or broadening local revenue sources, rather than from being traditionally big or wealthy states alone.

Lagos’ IGR in 2024 was over 3x more than all other South West states combined
  • Lagos drives most revenue in the South West, accounting for the clear majority of the region’s IGR.
  • Each geopolitical zone has one dominant state that shapes its revenue profile.
  • Fiscal capacity remains heavily skewed toward a few urban and resource-rich states.

Lagos State generated the vast majority of Nigeria's IGR at ₦1.3 trillion, accounting for over 35% of the ₦3.7 trillion total IGR
  • Nigeria’s total IGR in 2024 was ₦3.7 trillion.
  • Lagos State generated ₦1.3 trillion, accounting for over 35% of the national IGR.
  • Rivers State (₦317.3 billion) and the FCT, Abuja (₦282.4 billion) ranked second and third, respectively.
  • The South West led regionally with ₦1.7 trillion in total IGR.
  • The North East recorded the lowest regional IGR at ₦129.8 billion.
  • Economic disparity between regions remains wide, with Lagos alone outpacing entire regions.

Nigeria’s South East region is the only one where MDAs' revenue (60.9%) exceeded Total Tax Revenue (39.10%) in 2024
  • The South East is the only region where the revenue of MDAs (60.9%) exceeded tax revenue (39.1%).
  • Other regions relied more heavily on tax revenue, with the South South leading at 85.25%.
  • The North East and North Central followed closely, with tax contributions of 79.9% and 79.15%, respectively.
  • The South West generated 75.04% of its IGR from taxes, indicating a strong formal revenue structure.
  • The North West maintained a more balanced mix, with 58.54% tax and 41.46% MDAs’ revenue.

In ten years, Osun State’s IGR rose nearly fivefold to ₦54.7b in 2024, driven by a great 97% leap from 2023
  • Osun’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) grew from ₦11.78b in 2015 to ₦54.70b in 2024, marking a 364% increase.
  • The state maintained steady annual growth after 2017, with notable acceleration from 2020 onward.
  • The single biggest leap occurred between 2023 and 2024, with revenue nearly doubling from ₦27.72b to ₦54.70b.
  • The upward trend reflects improved tax collection, diversification of revenue sources, and stronger fiscal policies.

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