Delta Overtakes Lagos As States Share N2.39trn FAAC in Q2

Nigeria's 36 states received N2.39 trillion from the Federation Account in the second quarter of 2026.

The amount represents an increase of N259.41 billion, or 12.2 per cent, from the N2.13 trillion shared in the first quarter.

An analysis of Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, disbursements between April and June 2026 shows a major reshuffle at the top of the allocation table, with Delta emerging as the largest beneficiary ahead of Rivers and Lagos.

Delta received N188.01 billion in Q2, up from N143.42 billion in Q1. Rivers followed with N172.03 billion, up from N123.96 billion, while Lagos dropped from first in Q1 to third in Q2 with N165.57 billion, down from N200.21 billion.

Delta replaces Lagos at top

Delta's quarterly receipt grew by N44.59 billion, or 31.1 per cent. The state got N53.77 billion in April, N67.81 billion in May and N66.44 billion in June to reach a total of N188.01 billion.

The increase pushed Delta above Lagos for the first time in the 2026 quarterly comparison supplied.

Rivers recorded an even larger absolute gain of N48.07 billion, or 38.8 per cent, from N123.96 billion in Q1 to N172.03 billion in Q2. Its allocation rose from N46.64 billion in April to N55.07 billion in May and N70.32 billion in June. The June figure was the highest monthly allocation recorded among all states in Q2.

Akwa Ibom posted the biggest percentage increase among the major oil-producing states. Its allocation rose by 46.2 per cent, from N109.76 billion in Q1 to N160.51 billion in Q2, an addition of N50.75 billion. The state received N44.84 billion in April, N53.58 billion in May and N62.09 billion in June.

Bayelsa also recorded strong growth, from N114.47 billion to N152.25 billion, up 33.0 per cent.

Together, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa added about N181.19 billion to their combined allocations between the two quarters.

Why Lagos allocation fell

Lagos was the only state to record a quarter-on-quarter decline.

The state had topped the chart in Q1 with N200.21 billion, but its Q2 receipt fell to N165.57 billion, a drop of N34.64 billion or 17.3 per cent.

The movement is linked to an exceptional Q1 performance driven largely by Value Added Tax. Lagos received about N193.50 billion from VAT in Q1, including N101.34 billion in February alone, alongside EMTL, ecology funds and the February non-oil revenue augmentation.

In Q2, its net VAT allocation was N150.56 billion, down by about N42.94 billion or 22.2 per cent from Q1. The fall explains why Lagos moved to third place despite remaining the country's largest VAT recipient.

VAT reshapes distribution

The Q2 data highlights the growing weight of VAT in determining state receipts.

Lagos led VAT receipts with N150.56 billion, followed by Rivers with N75.81 billion and Oyo with N44.29 billion. Kano got N34.17 billion and Delta N29.61 billion.

The VAT ranking differs from the overall FAAC ranking. Delta ranked first in total FAAC but fifth in net VAT. Lagos ranked third in total FAAC but first in VAT.

Oyo illustrates the gap. The state received N70.12 billion in total FAAC in Q2, placing seventh overall, but its N44.29 billion VAT receipt ranked third.

Kano remained the largest northern recipient with N77.53 billion in Q2, up from N75.03 billion in Q1, a modest rise of N2.50 billion or 3.3 per cent. Oyo moved from N68.98 billion to N70.12 billion, up 1.7 per cent. Both recorded far smaller growth than the leading oil-producing states.

Ekiti rebounds, most states rise

Ekiti recorded the sharpest rebound between the two quarters. Its allocation jumped from N17.12 billion in Q1 to N39.24 billion in Q2, up N22.12 billion or 129.2 per cent.

The surge follows an unusually weak Q1, when the state recorded negative statutory allocations of N16.19 billion in January and N1.68 billion in February, according to the supplied Q1 data. The Q2 figure therefore reflects a recovery from deductions that depressed Q1 receipts. Even after the rebound, Ekiti remained the second-lowest recipient in Q2, ahead of only Cross River.

Most other states recorded increases. Imo rose from N50.31 billion to N57.38 billion, up 14.1 per cent. Taraba grew by 13.1 per cent and Kaduna by 12.0 per cent. Ogun moved from N36.13 billion to N42.67 billion, up 18.1 per cent.

Abia increased by 11.2 per cent, Ondo by 11.3 per cent, Ebonyi by 9.5 per cent and Borno by 9.3 per cent.

Growth was marginal in some states. Jigawa moved from N55.75 billion to N55.86 billion. Enugu rose from N45.67 billion to N45.86 billion. Adamawa increased by 1.0 per cent, while Edo and Oyo both grew by about 1.7 per cent.

Based on the supplied figures, Lagos was the only state with a decline. Its N34.64 billion drop was offset by strong growth among oil producers, which lifted total state allocations.

The concentration also increased. In Q1, the top five states Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom received a combined N691.82 billion, about 32.4 per cent of all state allocations. In Q2, the same five received N838.37 billion, about 35.0 per cent.

The Q2 figures should also be read against the N200 billion April augmentation from non-oil revenue, which boosted receipts in the first month of the quarter.