Lagos leads VAT remittance with ₦305B, over 53% of total and more than 3x Rivers'

Key Takeaways

  • Lagos State contributed ₦305B in VAT, making up over 53% of the national total and more than three times that of any other state.
  • Rivers (₦90B) and Oyo (₦27B) followed Lagos as the second and third highest contributors, highlighting a steep drop after the top state.
  • Only a few states, including Bayelsa, Kano, Kwara, and Edo, remitted above ₦5B, showing a highly uneven distribution of VAT contributions.
  • Over 8 states, such as Kebbi, Osun, Imo, and Zamfara, contributed less than ₦2B each, indicating minimal VAT activity in many parts of the country.

In January 2025, Lagos State remitted a staggering ₦305 billion in VAT, over 53% of the national total and more than three times the ₦90 billion contributed by Rivers, the second‑highest state. Oyo was the third-highest contributor with ₦27 billion. These three states together generated nearly three‑quarters of Nigeria’s entire VAT yield, underscoring their outsized economic weight. Mid‑tier contributors such as Bayelsa (₦12.8 billion), Kano and Kwara (₦9.5 billion each), and Edo (₦5 billion) remitted less than half of Oyo’s contribution, revealing a steep drop‑off.

At the bottom tier, more than eight states each contributed under ₦2 billion, including Kebbi (₦1.9 billion), Ondo (₦0.9 billion), Imo (₦1.5 billion), Taraba (₦0.9 billion), and Zamfara (₦1.4 billion). Together, they accounted for only a few percent of the total, highlighting profound regional disparities in VAT collection.

Source:

Federal account allocation committee (FAAC)

Period:

January 2025
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Lagos’s domestic debt is 7.5% (₦72.6 billion) higher than the South South’s
  • The South-West recorded the highest domestic debt stock of approximately ₦1.43 trillion, largely powered by Lagos State’s ₦1.04 trillion debt.
  • The South-South ranks second with ₦968 billion, led by Rivers State’s ₦364.4 billion, reflecting major infrastructure and fiscal commitments.
  • The North-Central (₦520 billion) and North-East (₦450 billion) show moderate borrowing compared to their southern counterparts.
  • The North-West records the smallest combined debt stock at ₦223 billion, indicating a relatively conservative borrowing posture.

Enugu - South-East’s top domestic debtor - owes more than Imo, Abia, and Anambra combined
  • Enugu State holds the highest domestic debt in the South-East at ₦180.5 billion.
  • Imo ranks second with ₦97.9 billion, about 54% lower than Enugu’s figure.
  • At ₦15.8 billion, Ebonyi remains the least indebted in the region, maintaining a conservative borrowing stance.
  • Combined, the five South-East states (Enugu, Imo, Abia, Anambra, and Ebonyi) owe roughly ₦371 billion domestically as of Q2 2025.

Rivers State's domestic debt is 3.5% (₦12.4b) more than the combined debt of Delta and Cross River
  • Bayelsa holds the lowest debt with ₦65.9 billion.
  • Rivers’ ₦364.4 billion domestic debt is almost six times Bayelsa’s total, highlighting major fiscal disparities.
  • Delta (₦204.7 billion) and Cross River (₦147.3 billion) remain among the region’s more indebted states
  • Regional debt approaches ₦1 trillion: The six South-South states collectively hold an estimated ₦968 billion in domestic debt as of Q2 2025.

Jigawa recorded the lowest domestic debt in North-West Nigeria at ₦852 million in Q2 2025
  • The seven North-Western states collectively owed about ₦223.4 billion in domestic debt as of Q2 2025, according to DMO data.
  • Kano State ranked highest with ₦56.9 billion, accounting for roughly 25% of the zone’s total debt.
  • Jigawa remains the least indebted in the region and in the entire country, with only ₦852 million.
  • Moderate debt spread: While Kano, Zamfara, and Sokoto carried the largest debt loads, the remaining states maintained relatively conservative borrowing patterns.

Kogi and Nasarawa post lowest domestic debt in North Central Nigeria at ₦18.8 billion and ₦23.9 billion, respectively
  • The six North Central states collectively hold ₦449.4 billion in domestic debt as of Q2 2025, according to DMO data.
  • Kogi and Nasarawa lead in fiscal control with ₦18.8 billion and ₦23.9 billion, respectively
  • Both states record the lowest debt profiles in the region. Niger State’s ₦141.5 billion debt makes it the region’s most indebted, accounting for nearly one-third of the total.
  • The debt gap between Kogi (lowest) and Niger (highest) stands at over ₦123 billion, highlighting stark differences in fiscal management and borrowing capacity across the zone.

Lagos accounts for over 70% of South-West Nigeria’s domestic debt, hitting ₦1.04 trillion in mid-2025
  • Lagos dominates regional debt with a domestic debt stock of ₦1.04 trillion, over 70% of the South-West’s total subnational debt.
  • Lagos’s debt is six times larger than that of Ogun (₦162.9 billion), the region’s next most indebted state.
  • At ₦10.6 billion, Ondo maintains the lowest domestic debt profile in the region, reflecting relatively modest borrowing.
  • The combined domestic debt of the six South-West states (Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo) stood at ₦1.43 trillion as of Q2 2025.

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