The three-bedroom bungalow is still among the most practical types of house in Nigeria, but in Makurdi the final bill depends less on the number of rooms than on the floor area, soil conditions, specification and the rate of price changes.
As a working guide for 2026, you should budget ₦50 million to ₦75 million for a standard three-bedroom bungalow of about 120–150 square meters, excluding land. A basic build can be between ₦35 million to ₦50 million while a high-specification home can go over ₦80 million.
This is a market budgeting range, not an official fixed price list. The Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) and the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) always advise clients to have a bill of quantities for each project because prices of materials and labor vary greatly from one place and supplier to another.
For a normal finish the building itself takes the lion’s share of the budget substructure, walls, roofing, windows, doors, plumbing, electrical work, plastering, tiling and painting. Current market rates for construction can broadly range between ₦350,000 and ₦550,000 per square metre depending on design and specification.
This means that for a 135 square meter house, we are talking about around ₦47 million to ₦74 million before a few key additions. The costs will be reduced by simple roof, local finishes and standard sanitary fittings. Imported tiles, aluminum systems, fitted wardrobes, premium lighting and a more complicated roof will quickly add to them.
External work is often underestimated. A borehole, water-storage tanks, septic system, drainage, paving, fencing and a gate can add ₦5 million to ₦15 million depending on the site and quality of materials. You may need an allowance for electricity connection, alternative power, kitchen cabinets and landscaping.
Professional services, architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical designs, quantity surveying, approvals and supervision can account for around 5 to 12 per cent of construction cost. Clients should also allow for a contingency of at least 10 to 15 per cent. Nigeria’s high and volatile inflation, as measured by the National Bureau of Statistics’ consumer-price reports, makes this reserve especially important.
Considerations Specific to Makurdi
Makurdi’s climate and proximity to the Benue River make drainage and site investigation essential. A plot that requires extensive filling, deeper foundations or retaining structures can add millions of naira before the walls rise. A soil test and proper setting-out are cheaper than correcting foundation or flooding problems later.
Transport also affects pricing. Some materials may be cheaper in larger commercial centres, but hauling cement, steel, roofing sheets and fittings to Makurdi can erase the difference.
The safest approach is to approve a complete design, prepare a detailed bill of quantities and obtain at least three comparable quotations. Build in stages only when each stage is properly priced, and never start with the foundation before confirming the full funding plan.