The short answer
- —Basic finish: ₦150,000–₦220,000 per m². Standard: ₦220,000–₦330,000. Premium: ₦330,000–₦450,000+.
- —3-bedroom bungalow (~130 m²): ₦19.5m–₦28.5m basic, ₦28.5m–₦43m standard.
- —4-bedroom duplex (~280 m²): ₦42m–₦61.5m basic, ₦61.5m–₦92.5m standard.
- —Add land, approvals, external works (fence, gate, borehole, paving) and furniture on top: external works alone usually add 10–20%.
Cost per square metre
The fastest way to estimate a build is gross floor area × a rate for the finish you want. These rates cover everything from foundation to handover for a house on normal soil in Lagos.
| Finish level | Cost | What it typically includes |
|---|---|---|
| Basic finish | ₦150k – ₦220k per m² | Local tiles, standard doors and fittings, PVC ceilings, emulsion paint. |
| Standard finish | ₦220k – ₦330k per m² | Good porcelain tiles, POP ceilings, quality sanitary ware, aluminium windows. |
| Premium finish | ₦330k – ₦450k per m² | Imported finishes, feature lighting, fitted kitchen and wardrobes, smart wiring. High-end Ikoyi/Banana Island builds can exceed ₦450,000/m². |
Build cost per m²
What a square metre costs in Lagos (2026)
Building only: no land, external works or furniture. Finish level is the biggest choice you make.
Local tiles, standard doors and fittings, PVC ceilings, emulsion paint.
Good porcelain tiles, POP ceilings, quality sanitary ware, aluminium windows.
Imported finishes, feature lighting, fitted kitchen and wardrobes, smart wiring. High-end Ikoyi/Banana Island builds can exceed ₦450,000/m².
4-bedroom duplex · Basic
₦42m – ₦61.5m
about 280 m²
4-bedroom duplex · Standard
₦61.5m – ₦92.5m
about 280 m²
4-bedroom duplex · Premium
₦92.5m – ₦126m
about 280 m²
Cost by house type
Typical Lagos floor areas multiplied by the rates above. Your design, soil and finishes move these numbers — use them to set a budget, not to sign a contract.
| House type | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-bedroom bungalow (~90 m²) | ₦13.5m – ₦20m | ₦20m – ₦29.5m | ₦29.5m – ₦40.5m |
| 3-bedroom bungalow (~130 m²) | ₦19.5m – ₦28.5m | ₦28.5m – ₦43m | ₦43m – ₦58.5m |
| 4-bedroom bungalow (~170 m²) | ₦25.5m – ₦37.5m | ₦37.5m – ₦56m | ₦56m – ₦76.5m |
| 4-bedroom duplex (~280 m²) | ₦42m – ₦61.5m | ₦61.5m – ₦92.5m | ₦92.5m – ₦126m |
| 5-bedroom duplex (~350 m²) | ₦52.5m – ₦77m | ₦77m – ₦115.5m | ₦115.5m – ₦157.5m |
Duplex costs in detail
4- and 5-bedroom duplexes, stage by stage, with ways to save.
Duplex guide →Bungalow costs in detail
2-, 3- and 4-bedroom bungalows and when a bungalow is the better buy.
Bungalow guide →Where the money goes, stage by stage
This is also how we split payments: you pay for one stage at a time, and our inspection team signs it off before the next payment is due. Example: 4-bedroom duplex, standard finish.
| Stage | Share | Approx. cost | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design, approvals and site preparation | 5–10% | ₦3m – ₦9.5m | Drawings, structural design, soil test, building permit, clearing and setting out. |
| Foundation | 10–15% | ₦6m – ₦14m | Excavation, blinding, footings or raft, foundation walls, DPC. More on waterlogged or reclaimed land. |
| Frame and blockwork | 20–30% | ₦12.5m – ₦28m | Columns, beams, blockwork, lintels; for a duplex also the first-floor slab and stairs. |
| Roofing | 8–12% | ₦5m – ₦11m | Timber or steel trusses, covering (stone-coated or aluminium), fascia and gutters. |
| Services | 10–15% | ₦6m – ₦14m | Electrical wiring and fittings, plumbing, septic or soakaway, water storage. |
| Finishing | 30–40% | ₦18.5m – ₦37m | Plaster, screed, tiles, ceilings, paint, doors, windows, sanitary ware, kitchen. |
Where the money goes · 4-bedroom duplex
Six stages, six checks, six payments
Each bar is a stage’s typical share of the build budget. At the end of every stage the work is inspected and you see the evidence before the next payment is due.
- 1
Design & site prep5–10% · ₦3.1m – ₦9.3m
Drawings, structural design, soil test, building permit, clearing and setting out.
Inspected, then paid
- 2
Foundation10–15% · ₦6.2m – ₦13.9m
Excavation, blinding, footings or raft, foundation walls, DPC. More on waterlogged or reclaimed land.
Inspected, then paid
- 3
Frame & blocks20–30% · ₦12.3m – ₦27.8m
Columns, beams, blockwork, lintels; for a duplex also the first-floor slab and stairs.
Inspected, then paid
- 4
Roof8–12% · ₦4.9m – ₦11.1m
Timber or steel trusses, covering (stone-coated or aluminium), fascia and gutters.
Inspected, then paid
- 5
Services10–15% · ₦6.2m – ₦13.9m
Electrical wiring and fittings, plumbing, septic or soakaway, water storage.
Inspected, then paid
- 6
Finishing30–40% · ₦18.5m – ₦37m
Plaster, screed, tiles, ceilings, paint, doors, windows, sanitary ware, kitchen.
Inspected, then paid
Current building material prices
Materials are about half of a building budget, and their prices move with the exchange rate. These are the latest prices on our tracker.
| Material | Lagos |
|---|---|
| Cement | ₦11,500 – 13,550 /bag |
| Rebar (iron rods) | ₦1,000,000 – 1,200,000 /tonne |
| Granite | ₦25,000 – 30,000 /tonne |
| Sharp sand | ₦12,000 – 15,000 /tonne |
| Aggregate (gravel) | — |
| Ready-mix concrete | — |
What makes a build cost more
- Finish level. Finishing is 30–40% of the build. The same shell can cost 50% more with premium tiles, doors and fittings.
- Soil and foundation. Reclaimed or waterlogged land (much of Lekki, Ajah and Ikoyi) may need a raft or piled foundation. A soil test before design tells you.
- Location and access. Premium Island estates add 25–40% through logistics, estate levies, working-hour limits and sand filling.
- Design complexity. Cantilevers, double-height spaces, large spans and basements need more concrete and steel.
- Material prices. Cement, rebar and roofing move with the exchange rate. We track them weekly on our material price tracker.
- Supervision and payment control. Projects paid in inspected stages rarely suffer the waste and rework that inflate unsupervised builds.
What is not in these figures
- Land. From about ₦15m a plot in Ikorodu to over ₦1bn in Ikoyi. See buying land in Nigeria from abroad.
- Approvals. Lagos building permit (LASPPPA) and other fees depend on size and location; we include them in your project budget once the design is fixed.
- External works. Fence and gate, paving, borehole, septic tank or soakaway, generator house: usually 10–20% on top.
- Furniture, appliances and solar/inverter systems.
- A contingency of 5–10% for price movements and choices made during the build.
How to get an accurate figure
- 1
Soil test and survey
Tells us what foundation the land needs: the biggest unknown in any estimate.
- 2
Drawings
Architectural and structural drawings fix the floor area, spans and quantities.
- 3
Bill of quantities (BOQ)
Every item priced: bags of cement, tonnes of rebar, number of blocks, square metres of tiles. Ours are open-book, so you can check each line.
- 4
Stage budget
The BOQ is split into stages that match the payment schedule and the inspections. See how we build.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to build a house in Nigeria in 2026?
What is the cost per square metre to build a house in Nigeria?
How much is that in pounds or dollars?
Is it cheaper to build or buy a house in Lagos?
How long does it take to build a house in Nigeria?
Why do estimates for the same house differ so much?
Sources and how we checked
- Build With Ease — Cost to build a bungalow vs duplex in Nigeria (2026) (updated May 2026)
- Prioni — Cost of building a house in Nigeria (2026) (June 2026)
- Nigeria Building Cost 2026 estimator (2026)
- Artemis Atelier material price tracker — current cement, rebar, granite, sand and concrete prices