Jigawa State has been named Nigeria’s second most improved state in the Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI) 2026 National Assessment Report, underscoring its reputation for prudent governance, fiscal discipline and effective public service delivery. The report also ranks Jigawa as the highest-performing state in the North-West geopolitical zone on its 2026 Momentum Index.
Assessment Methodology and Key Rankings
The independent assessment evaluated all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory across 37 governance and development indicators. It combined 70 per cent objective data drawn from audited public financial records and other credible official sources with 30 per cent surveys on citizen perception. The 2026 assessment replaced the conventional league table with a Momentum Index measuring each state’s progress since the previous evaluation. Jigawa recorded a score of +0.77 to rank second nationally behind Enugu State.
According to the report, Jigawa’s strong showing was driven by exceptional fiscal discipline, the lowest debt burden per capita in Nigeria, relatively stable agricultural activity despite regional security challenges, and sustained improvements in governance and public service delivery.
Fiscal Discipline and Low Debt Burden
The report further showcases Jigawa as a national example of responsible fiscal management, stating that the state carries the lowest debt burden per capita in the country. This demonstrates how disciplined resource management can deliver sustainable development outcomes even in a challenging economic environment. Phillips Consulting observed that the findings reinforce a central lesson emerging across the federation: states that have made the greatest progress are not necessarily those with the largest revenues but those that have translated available resources into measurable improvements through sound governance, prudent financial management, transparency, and effective implementation.
Citizen Satisfaction and Service Delivery
The report also ranked Jigawa second in the country for overall citizen satisfaction, with a score of 3.69 out of 5. This indicates strong public confidence in the state’s performance. Citizens gave particularly favourable assessments of the state’s road infrastructure, security — two areas in which Jigawa excels nationwide — and the integrity of public servants, reflecting positive perceptions of government service delivery.
Regional Performance and Implications
Highlighting broader regional trends, the report identified the North-West as Nigeria’s second-best-performing geopolitical zone on the Momentum Index. It noted that Jigawa’s fiscal discipline and reform efforts anchored the zone’s strong performance, alongside notable contributions from Kano and Sokoto states. The Phillips Consulting State Performance Index is widely regarded as an independent, evidence-based benchmark for assessing subnational governance, offering governments, investors, development partners, and civil society an objective measure of fiscal health, governance quality, service delivery, and development performance across Nigeria’s states.
