Lagos, Rivers record highest borrowing as Nigeria’s debt hits N159.28tn

Nigeria’s total public debt climbed to N159.28 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025, with Lagos and Rivers states shouldering the largest shares of borrowing. The surge deepens fiscal pressure on the federal and state budgets, likely constraining public spending and raising debt‑service costs for citizens.

Nigeria’s total public debt rose to N159.28 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025, with Lagos and Rivers states accounting for the highest levels of borrowing, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The NBS disclosed this in its Nigerian Domestic and Foreign Debt Report released in Abuja on Monday, noting that the country’s […] Lagos, Rivers record highest borrowing as Nigeria’s debt hits N159.28tn