The Global Cities Index Nigeria results place all 18 ranked Nigerian cities outside the global top 400. Lagos leads the country at 485th, while Sokoto sits at the bottom of the table at 1,000th.
The 2026 index, published by Oxford Economics, scores cities on economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. It has since drawn debate online after statistics handle StatiSense paired the rankings with a relocation survey.
Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, is second among Nigerian cities at 741st. 
Global Cities Index Nigeria: where the 18 cities placed
Oxford Economics ranked the world’s 1,000 largest cities using 27 indicators across five categories. New York, London and Paris top the table, according to Ecofin Agency.
The economics category covers each city’s size, structure and growth. Human capital looks at education, business conditions and demographics. Quality of life measures wellbeing, the environment category considers climate and nature, and governance covers political stability and the protection of residents’ rights.
Behind Lagos (485th) and Abuja (741st), the Nigerian cities rank as follows:
- Onitsha, 802nd
- Owerri, 817th
- Enugu, 850th
- Ibadan, 881st
- Aba, 925th
- Port Harcourt, 956th
- Ilorin, 957th
- Ogbomosho, 964th
- Benin City, 972nd
- Abeokuta, 973rd
- Kaduna, 979th
- Jos, 981st
- Zaria, 991st
- Kano, 992nd
- Maiduguri, 995th
- Sokoto, 1,000th
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Lagos and Abuja trail other African cities
Cairo is Africa’s best performer at 255th, followed by Accra at 302nd and Port Louis at 305th, Ecofin Agency reported. Lagos is the 15th African city on its Top 50 list, just behind Dakar at 478th.
Oxford Economics singled out Cairo, Accra, Nairobi, Dakar and Luanda as the African cities to watch. It projects they will generate a third of GDP growth among the African cities in the index over the next 25 years. No Nigerian city made that list.
What StatiSense’s relocation data shows
In another post, StatiSense shared findings from a PCI 2025 survey on where Southeast residents would prefer to live. Respondents from Abia, Anambra and Ebonyi most often picked Abuja, while those from Enugu leaned towards Lagos.
The survey’s methodology and sample size could not be independently confirmed.
The pattern matches an SBM Intelligence report that found Abuja drew 65 mentions as a preferred destination, ahead of Lagos with 42. Anambra and Enugu drew 11 and seven mentions respectively.
Abuja scored highest on income at 3.16 out of five, but its residents were the least hopeful that power supply would improve within two years.
A separate StatiSense ranking in 2025 put Kwara, whose capital is Ilorin, fourth among Nigeria’s most preferred states for relocation, behind Oyo, Akwa Ibom and the FCT, according to Pulse Nigeria.
Reactions split on X
Responses to the post were mixed.
Some users praised Ilorin’s placement and credited improved infrastructure under the state’s governor. At 957th, Ilorin ranks ninth among the 18 Nigerian cities and sits just behind Port Harcourt at 956th.
Others questioned the relocation data, saying it overlooked movement between neighbouring states, such as from Ebonyi to Anambra. The two datasets also measure different things. The Oxford Economics index scores city-level indicators, while the survey reflects residents’ preferences.
For now, the Global Cities Index Nigeria findings give policymakers a benchmark. They show how far Nigeria’s biggest cities must climb to match African peers such as Cairo, Accra and Nairobi.
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