Kaduna State has been ranked third among Nigeria’s 36 states in the 2025 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI), earning an Excellent Four-Star Rating for its performance across key governance and development indicators. The ranking, announced by Phillips Consulting, assessed states using a methodology that combined objective performance metrics with citizen feedback, measuring progress in governance, fiscal management, economic development, infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, security, and social inclusion.
Security Improvements Under Governor Uba Sani
The report highlighted Kaduna’s performance under Governor Uba Sani, who assumed office on May 29, 2023, noting improvements in several sectors critical to the state’s development. A major area of progress identified in the assessment was security. Since taking office, the governor has pursued what his administration describes as the Kaduna Peace Model, a strategy that involves collaboration among security agencies, traditional rulers, community leaders, and other stakeholders to address insecurity and its root causes. According to the report, the approach has contributed to a decline in violent crimes across parts of the state previously affected by banditry and other security challenges. The improved security situation has enabled farmers to return to their farms and schools to resume normal operations in some affected communities.
Fiscal Management and Debt Repayment
The state also received recognition for its fiscal management practices. Despite significant inherited debt obligations, the administration said it had repaid more than N90 billion in outstanding debts without taking on new loans. The government attributed the achievement to fiscal discipline, expenditure control, and measures aimed at improving revenue generation and financial sustainability.
Transparency and Accountability
Kaduna’s efforts in promoting transparency and accountability were also highlighted. The state emerged as Nigeria’s most transparent and accountable state for two consecutive years in the Transparency and Integrity Index published by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity with support from the MacArthur Foundation. The ranking was linked to reforms including the implementation of open procurement systems, expansion of fiscal transparency initiatives, enhanced citizen participation mechanisms, and the strengthening of the Open Government Partnership framework through the state’s Action Plan III covering 2024 to 2027.
Internally Generated Revenue Growth
In the area of internally generated revenue (IGR), Kaduna recorded significant growth during the review period. The state government said monthly IGR, which stood at about N5 billion when the administration took office, increased following tax reforms, automation of revenue collection processes, expansion of the tax base, and initiatives aimed at improving the ease of doing business. The pSPI report noted that these reforms contributed to Kaduna’s emergence as the leading IGR-performing state in Northern Nigeria.
The latest ranking places Kaduna among the country’s top-performing states and reflects its progress in governance, economic management, service delivery, and public sector reforms since the beginning of the current administration.
