2025: Top 10 Best-Performing States in Nigeria

Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, Adamawa, and Niger have been identified as states with the best positive outlook in Nigeria for 2024, a pcl. State Performance Index (pSPI) reveals.

The pcl. State Performance Index (pSPI) is a nationally representative assessment tool created by Phillips Consulting (pcl.) to evaluate and compare the governance performance of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Now in its second edition, the pSPI goes beyond mere rankings—it is a framework for driving accountability, informing policy, and fostering healthy competition among state governments.

The 2025 pSPI reflects a significant shift in state rankings, not because states got worse or better overnight, but because the methodology evolved to reward actual performance over perceived potential, reshaping the list of the top 10 best-performing states.

For example, Gombe, which ranked 1st in 2024, dropped to 8th in 2025. While its perception score remained strong, its audited financials and objective performance data reflected some weaknesses.

Conversely, Lagos, which was 4th in 2024, surged to 1st place in 2025, thanks to strong audited performance, despite a lower perception score, reaffirming its place among the top 10 best-performing states.

Remarkably, states like Niger (from 29th to 6th), Abia (from 36th to 10th), and Adamawa (26th to 5th) made huge gains, reflecting deliberate reform efforts.

These changes highlight how states can climb to the top 10 best-performing states through effective strategies.

In contrast, FCT, Bayelsa, and Kano saw significant drops, underscoring the importance of transparency and fiscal discipline.