Kano vs Port Harcourt

Kano leads Port Harcourt by 3 points on the CIRA Index, 40 to 37. Kano grades better on 7 measures, Port Harcourt on 3; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Kano 40, Port Harcourt 37
• OECD: Kano 39, Port Harcourt 38
• UN Tourism: Kano 41, Port Harcourt 47
• UNDRR: Kano 37, Port Harcourt 28

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Kano 50, Port Harcourt 38
• Economy and jobs: Kano 50, Port Harcourt 42
• Climate and hazards: Kano 25, Port Harcourt 25
• Water and environment: Kano 38, Port Harcourt 75
• Community and housing: Kano 25, Port Harcourt 0
• Access and continuity: Kano 33, Port Harcourt 21

Where Kano is stronger

• Domestic share of nights: 91 % of nights by residents of the same country (country figure) (World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) - Nigeria Economic Impact Report 2024, 2023). At or above 45: grade 4/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 63.9 % average annual occupancy (country figure) (CoStar / Staynaija Hospitality Trends Report, January 2024). Between 55 and 65: grade 2/4.
• Unemployment rate: 7.6 % of the labour force (region figure) (National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Nigeria Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2023, 2023). Between 5 and 8: grade 3/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Rent growth: 15 % change in rents over the last 12 months (The Africanvestor, Updated Rents in Kano (2026), 2025–2026). Between 10 and 15: grade 1/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria / Nigerian Railway Corporation / Federal Ministry of Works, 2026). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.
• Early warning and emergency plan: An updated city plan with public early warning for heat, flood or fire (National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) / Daily Post Nigeria, 2026). Grade 3/4.

Where Port Harcourt is stronger

• Extreme heat days: 20.8 days a year at or above 35°C (last 5 full years) (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2021–2025). Between 15 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Green space: 52 % of the urban area that is green or tree-covered (Global Forest Watch / World Resources Institute, Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria Deforestation Rates & Statistics, 2020). At or above 40: grade 4/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• Nigeria: #104 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Nigeria: #104 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Kano in full · Port Harcourt in full

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