Kano Has Been Ranked Nigeria’s Best State To Raise A Family (See Full List)

Kano State has been ranked the best state to raise a family in Nigeria ahead of Lagos and Abuja, according to a new report by SBM Intelligence.

The report, published on May 26, titled Where Nigerian Families Actually Thrive, assessed eight states (Abuja, Anambra, Bauchi, Cross River, Kano, Lagos, Oyo, and Rivers) across 15 indicators, including income levels, healthcare access, electricity supply, childcare, education, safety, and housing affordability.

Data was drawn from two surveys, including a ‘Quality of Life Survey’ with 442 respondents and a ‘Power Survey’ with 191 respondents, conducted between January and May 2026. The report used a five-point composite scoring system.

“The data in this report is only up to date as of Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Some of it is subject to change over time.

“In each of the eight states, we deliberately recruited respondents to achieve an even split across high-brow, middle-class, and low-income residential areas,” the report stated.

The survey assessed quality of life based on safety, affordability, healthcare, education, and infrastructure.

Kano topped the rankings due to strong scores in safety, childcare access, and affordability, despite relatively lower income levels among residents. Rivers State followed closely, driven by strong healthcare performance and family stability, while Abuja ranked fourth, recording high income levels but weakened by high living costs and poor electricity supply.

Cross River ranked last across most indicators, including safety, education, healthcare, and affordability, with the report describing its performance as a “collapse” across key metrics.

Abuja recorded the highest income levels among respondents, while Kano ranked lowest, with a significant proportion earning below N100,000 monthly.

However, the report noted that high earnings in Abuja and Lagos were offset by rising costs of housing, transportation, and utilities, making affordability a major challenge.

Kano also emerged as the most affordable state for daily living, while Lagos recorded the lowest scores in both housing and overall living costs. Cross River State also ranked low despite moderate incomes.

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