Kano State has been classified as the most family-friendly state in Nigeria, while Cross River State came last in a new research by SBM Intelligence.
The survey, released yesterday, analyzed the quality of living in eight states of Abuja (FCT), Anambra, Bauchi, Cross River, Kano, Lagos, Oyo and Rivers between April and May 2026 with 442 respondents, The Guardian reported.
As complementary data, SBM Intelligence also conducted a separate “Power Survey” with 191 respondents in the same eight states and the FCT in January 2026. The report employed a five-point composite rating methodology.
The data in this article is only current as of Wednesday, May 6, 2026. Some will change over the normal course of events.
“We went after respondents in each of the eight states to ensure we got a mix of high-brow, middle-class and low-income residential areas,” the report said.
The poll measured quality of life in terms of safety, affordability, health care, education and infrastructure.
Despite relatively low incomes among its population, Kano earned the top spot overall on the strength of high grades for safety, access to child care and affordability. Family life in the state is largely stable and economical within modest means, the survey says.
Rivers State was placed second because of good health care performance and family stability, Abuja was placed fourth because of high income levels but was pulled down by high cost of living and poor energy supply.
Cross River was ranked worst in most parameters including safety, education, healthcare and affordability, with the report describing its performance as a “collapse” across major measures.
Abuja had the highest income level of respondents while Kano had the least with a large percentage earning less than N100,000 a month.
But the research said strong wages in Abuja and Lagos were balanced by increasing housing, transport and utility prices, making affordability a big concern.
Kano was ranked the cheapest state for daily living, while Lagos earned the lowest scores in housing and overall living expenditures.
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