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The short answer
Moving into a one-bedroom flat in Makurdi can take about ₦1.2 million in the first month in our illustrative example, because a year's rent, agency and agreement fees, basic furniture, cooking gas, a meter if the flat has none, and the move itself all fall due together. Rent upfront is the largest part; the rest is roughly the price of setting up a home from scratch.
Why the first month costs so much
Most landlords in Nigerian cities, Makurdi included, ask for a year's rent in advance, and agents commonly add fees on top. At the same time you are buying furniture, kitchen items and a cooking gas cylinder, and paying to move your things. None of it repeats every month, but it all lands at once. Knowing the total before you sign avoids taking an expensive loan halfway through the move.
Example first-month costs, one-bedroom flat
This is an illustrative example, not a survey of Makurdi prices. The agency and agreement fees are assumptions; fees vary and are negotiable, and Benue does not publish a cap we could confirm.
| Item | Example cost |
|---|---|
| Rent, one year upfront | ₦450,000 |
| Agency fee (assumed 10%) | ₦45,000 |
| Agreement fee (assumed 10%) | ₦45,000 |
| Caution deposit (refundable, if asked) | ₦50,000 |
| Bed and mattress | ₦150,000 |
| Gas cooker and 12.5kg cylinder | ₦90,000 |
| First gas refill (NBS April 2026 national average) | ₦22,382 |
| Standing fan | ₦40,000 |
| Pots, plates and kitchen basics | ₦50,000 |
| Prepaid meter under MAP, if the flat has none (single-phase, Feb 2024 price) | ₦88,000 |
| First electricity token | ₦15,000 |
| Water storage or borehole share | ₦20,000 |
| Moving van or truck | ₦60,000 |
| Food for the first month | ₦90,000 |
| Total | ₦1,215,382 |
Two lines can disappear: if the flat already has a working prepaid meter in good standing, you save ₦88,000, and if the landlord does not ask for a caution deposit, you save ₦50,000. That brings the example to ₦1,077,382.
Electricity: meter first, then tokens
Makurdi is supplied by Jos Electricity Distribution (JED). Before you sign, ask whether the flat has its own prepaid meter and check that there is no unpaid debt on it, because some meters recover old debts from new token purchases. If there is no meter, JED meters through the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme. In February 2024, JED said installation is free and priced MAP meters at ₦88,000 single-phase and ₦154,000 three-phase, refunded through monthly energy tokens. Confirm the current price with JED. Read buying JED tokens in Makurdi and ask JED about MAP availability for your street.
Water and cooking gas
Ask how the building gets water: public supply, a shared borehole, or vendors. If there is a borehole, find out how the pumping cost is shared among tenants; see water supply and borehole costs in Makurdi. Cooking gas is priced near national levels: the NBS national average for a 12.5kg refill was ₦22,382.20 in April 2026, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.
What to check before you pay rent
- Meet the landlord, or see written authority if an agent collects rent.
- Ask neighbours whether the street floods; the 2026 Benue flood guide names Makurdi's low-lying town centre a high-risk flood hotspot.
- Check the meter, water supply and toilets work before paying.
- Agree in writing what each fee covers and whether the caution deposit is refundable.
- Get a tenancy agreement and a receipt for every payment, in the payee's full name.
Your first-week admin checklist
Money is only part of settling in. A few practical tasks in the first week make the rest of the year easier:
- Note your new address exactly as the landlord writes it on the tenancy agreement; you will need it for bank, employer and delivery records.
- Save the numbers of the landlord or caretaker, a reliable electrician and a plumber.
- Find your nearest clinic or hospital and, if you are a state worker, confirm your health insurance facility; see our guide to hospitals and BSHIS in Makurdi.
- Learn your keke routes to work and the market, and price a typical trip before you agree a monthly transport budget.
- Keep every receipt from the move in one folder, paper or digital, in case of disputes with the landlord or agent.
Moving for work, NYSC or study
If an employer is relocating you, ask in writing which of the costs above it will cover and whether it pays upfront or reimburses. Corps members and students usually face a smaller bill because they share accommodation or furniture, but the same checks on landlords and receipts apply.
Whatever the reason for the move, budget for the deposit you may not get back. Disputes over caution deposits are common when tenants leave, so photograph the flat on the day you move in and share the photos with the landlord.
Spreading the cost
You do not need to buy everything in the first week. A mattress, cooking setup and fan cover the essentials; a bed frame, chairs and a fridge can follow over the next few months. Our guides to moving house costs and saving for a year's rent cover planning ahead.
Where Pryme fits
If you are planning a move months ahead, a Fixed or Flexible Savings Box in the Pryme app can hold the money for rent and setup costs (Savings Boxes). Pay the landlord by transfer and ask for a verifiable receipt through VerifyDoc.ai as proof of payment (receipts).
Questions people ask
How much do I need to move to Makurdi?
In our illustrative example, about ₦1.2 million for a one-bedroom flat, including a year's rent, fees, basic furniture, a meter and the move. Your total depends mostly on rent.
How much is a prepaid meter in Makurdi?
JED priced MAP meters at ₦88,000 single-phase and ₦154,000 three-phase in February 2024, refunded through energy tokens. Confirm the current price with JED.
Do landlords in Makurdi collect one year rent?
Many ask for a year in advance, as in other Nigerian cities. Ask whether the landlord will accept six months, especially for a first tenancy.
What should I check before renting a flat in Makurdi?
Confirm the landlord, test the meter, water and toilets, ask about flooding, and get a tenancy agreement and receipts.
Sources
- Peoples Gazette: Don't pay for installation of meters, JEDC tells clients (11 Feb 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- NAN: Cooking gas price continues to rise, NBS (April 2026 data) · accessed Oct 2026
- 2026 Flood Guide for Benue State, drawing on the NIHSA 2026 Annual Flood Outlook · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.