…Validates Uba Sani’s reforms
Kaduna State has been ranked as Nigeria’s third-best performing state in the 2025 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI), earning an Excellent Four-Star Rating, and reinforcing claims by the state government that ongoing reforms under Governor Uba Sani are delivering measurable results.
The ranking, released by Phillips Consulting, assessed all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) using a methodology that combined objective governance and development indicators with citizen perception surveys.
Official performance data accounted for 70% of the overall score, while public opinion made up the remaining 30 percent. The survey involved 9,498 respondents nationwide over a three-month period.
According to the report, Lagos State ranked first, followed by Ogun State, while Kaduna secured third position, placing it among the country’s highest-performing sub-national governments.
Reacting to the ranking, Kaduna State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaƙi, described the result as an independent endorsement of the administration’s reform-driven and people-centred policies. He said the assessment reflects progress across critical sectors, including governance, fiscal management, economic development, infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, security and social inclusion.
“This recognition is significant because it comes from an independent and credible assessment that combines objective performance indicators with citizen feedback. It confirms that Kaduna State is making steady progress in strengthening institutions, improving governance outcomes and expanding opportunities for its citizens”, Maiyaƙi stated.
The pSPI report highlighted Kaduna’s strong economic fundamentals, ranking the state first in assets per capita and 10th in the ratio of internally generated revenue to total revenue. The report attributed much of Kaduna’s performance to its diversified economy, driven by agriculture, manufacturing, commerce and services.
Despite its strong showing, the report identified several areas requiring improvement. Kaduna ranked 32nd in ease of finding meaningful employment, while concerns over healthcare, education and security – particularly in rural communities – were cited as ongoing challenges that could affect development and investment.
The latest recognition adds to a growing list of independent accolades for Kaduna. Earlier in the year, the state was ranked first nationally in the ‘2025 Transparency and Integrity Index’ published by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), while also recording Nigeria’s highest score on the Control of Corruption Indicator.
Maiyaƙi said the recognitions demonstrate that government reforms are yielding tangible outcomes but stressed that the administration remains focused on improving citizens’ welfare. “These rankings are encouraging; because they demonstrate that our efforts are yielding measurable results. However, our focus remains on improving the lives of our people through inclusive development, economic empowerment, quality service delivery and sustainable peace”, he said.
The report also revealed significant improvements by several states, with Adamawa climbing from 26th position in 2024 to fourth place in 2025; Niger moving from 29th to fifth, and Abia rising dramatically from 36th to 10th position.
Regionally, the South-West emerged as Nigeria’s strongest-performing geo-political zone, buoyed by the performances of Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states. The North-West also recorded a strong outing, led by Kaduna’s third-place ranking and Jigawa’s impressive performance.
While Lagos and Ogun retained the top two spots due to their strong internally-generated revenue and economic activity, the report noted that Kaduna could challenge for higher positions in future rankings if it succeeds in addressing security concerns, improving public services and expanding employment opportunities.
The State government expressed appreciation to citizens, development partners, traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations and other stakeholders for their contributions to the state’s progress, reaffirming its commitment to building a peaceful, prosperous, transparent and globally competitive Kaduna.
