States Share N551.77bn VAT in February as Lagos Leads with Over N111bn

Value Added Tax (VAT) allocations to Nigerian states rose sharply to N551.77 billion in February 2026, representing a 30.36 percent increase from January figures, as revenue inflows to subnational governments remained strong.

Data from the Office of the Accountant General showed that net VAT disbursement also climbed by 31.41 percent to N541.89 billion, indicating widespread growth across states.

Lagos State maintained its lead as the highest recipient, recording N111.22 billion in gross allocation—an 82.32 percent jump from N61.00 billion in January. After deductions of N9.89 billion, the state received a net sum of N101.34 billion.

Oyo State ranked second with N24.04 billion, reflecting a 52.10 percent increase, while Rivers State followed with N23.57 billion, up by 39.50 percent. Kano State recorded N17.37 billion, marking a 6.43 percent rise, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) entered the top five with N15.76 billion. Bayelsa also posted notable growth, receiving N15.07 billion—an increase of 60.84 percent.

Other states in the mid-range category, including Katsina, Jigawa, Delta, and Kaduna, recorded allocations between N12.73 billion and N13.82 billion, with moderate growth rates.

Lower-earning states also saw improvements. Taraba received N9.37 billion, Ebonyi N9.45 billion, Yobe N9.76 billion, Nasarawa N9.77 billion, and Ekiti N9.83 billion. Cross River, Abia, Gombe, Kogi, and Plateau recorded allocations ranging from N9.97 billion to N10.47 billion.

The February increase builds on a strong rebound in January 2026, when VAT disbursements surged by 74 percent to N423.25 billion from N242.92 billion in December 2025, highlighting sustained growth in government revenue distribution.