2026 budgets for Nigeria’s 36 states reveal significant differences in allocations, with Lagos State leading the chart at N4.24 trillion.
Gatekeepers News reports that Lagos State budget is more than ten times higher than Ekiti State, which recorded the smallest budget of N415.57 billion. Rivers State is second with N1.85 trillion, followed by Delta at N1.73 trillion, Ogun N1.67 trillion, and Enugu N1.62 trillion.
Other states with large budgets include Akwa Ibom (N1.58 trillion), Kano (N1.48 trillion), Imo (N1.44 trillion), and Niger (N1.07 trillion), while Abia and Bayelsa are allocated N1.02 trillion each.
Kaduna’s budget stands at N985.9 billion, Cross River N961.62 billion, and Edo N939.85 billion, reflecting substantial investments in infrastructure, social services, and security.
Mid-tier budgets include Jigawa (N901.84 billion), Katsina (N897.87 billion), Oyo (N892 billion), Borno (N890.33 billion), Ebonyi (N884.87 billion), Bauchi (N877.05 billion), and Zamfara (N861.3 billion). Kogi and Plateau are set at N820.49 billion and N817.51 billion respectively, while Anambra and Sokoto received N766.37 billion and N758.7 billion.
Lower-tier budgets show Osun at N723.45 billion, Benue N695.01 billion, Taraba N653.5 billion, Kwara N644 billion, Kebbi N642.93 billion, Gombe N617.95 billion, Adamawa N583.3 billion, Nasarawa N545.18 billion, Ondo N524.41 billion, and Yobe N515.5 billion.
The 2026 budget allocations highlight the vast economic differences among Nigeria’s states, reflecting disparities in population, revenue generation, and development priorities.
Lagos remains the highest spender, while Ekiti has the lowest, emphasising the financial gap between the nation’s largest and smallest states.
