Nigeria’s 36 states shared a combined N2.39 trillion from the Federation Account in the second quarter of 2026, up by N259.41 billion, or 12.2 percent, from the N2.13 trillion disbursed in the first quarter. The figures are based on an analysis of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) payments to the states between April and June 2026.
Delta State became the largest recipient in the quarter, receiving N188.01 billion, a rise of N44.59 billion, or 31.1 percent, from N143.42 billion in the first quarter. Rivers State followed with N172.03 billion, up 38.8 percent from N123.96 billion. Lagos State slipped to third place with N165.57 billion, down by N34.64 billion, or 17.3 percent, from N200.21 billion in the first quarter.
Among the leading beneficiaries, Akwa Ibom recorded the largest percentage increase at 46.2 percent, rising from N109.76 billion to N160.51 billion. Bayelsa also advanced by 33.0 percent, from N114.47 billion to N152.25 billion. Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa together added about N181.19 billion to their combined allocations between the two quarters.
Lagos’s decline followed an unusually strong first quarter that was driven mainly by value-added tax. The state received about N193.50 billion in VAT in the first quarter, including N101.34 billion in February alone, alongside EMTL, ecology funds and a non-oil revenue augmentation. In the second quarter, Lagos recorded N150.56 billion in net VAT, a fall of approximately N42.94 billion, or 22.2 percent. The state nonetheless remained the largest net VAT recipient.
VAT receipts continued to reshape the distribution. Lagos led with N150.56 billion, followed by Rivers with N75.81 billion and Oyo with N44.29 billion. Kano received N34.17 billion, while Delta received N29.61 billion. Oyo ranked seventh in total FAAC receipts at N70.12 billion but third in net VAT, illustrating the gap between consumption-driven VAT flows and total FAAC allocation.
Kano remained the largest northern recipient at N77.53 billion, a modest increase of N2.50 billion, or 3.3 percent, from N75.03 billion. Oyo rose by 1.7 percent to N70.12 billion from N68.98 billion. Ekiti recorded the sharpest rebound, jumping 129.2 percent from N17.12 billion to N39.24 billion after negative statutory allocations in January and February, though it remained the second-lowest recipient ahead of Cross River.
