By Ali Rabiu Ali, Dutse
Jigawa State has emerged as the second most improved state in Nigeria in the 2026 Phillips Consulting (PCL) State Performance Index (pSPI), while also retaining the top position among states in the North-West geopolitical zone, according to the latest national assessment.
The independent report ranked Jigawa second nationwide on the 2026 Momentum Index, behind only Enugu State, citing the state’s prudent financial management, low debt profile, improved governance, and effective public service delivery as key drivers of its outstanding performance.
The assessment, which covered all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, evaluated governments using 37 governance and development indicators.
The methodology combined 70 per cent objective data obtained from audited public financial records and other credible official sources with 30 per cent citizen perception surveys.
Unlike previous editions that relied on a conventional league table, the 2026 report introduced a Momentum Index to measure the level of progress made by states since the last assessment. Jigawa recorded a score of +0.77, placing it second nationally.
According to the report, the state’s impressive performance was driven by exceptional fiscal discipline, the lowest debt burden per capita in Nigeria, sustained agricultural productivity despite regional security challenges, and continued improvements in governance and public service delivery.
The report also ranked Jigawa second in Nigeria for overall citizen satisfaction, with a score of 3.69 out of 5, reflecting growing public confidence in the state’s performance.
Residents gave particularly high ratings to the state’s road infrastructure, security, and the integrity of public servants, areas in which Jigawa was identified as one of the country’s strongest performers.
On regional performance, Phillips Consulting ranked the North-West as the second-best-performing geopolitical zone on the Momentum Index, attributing the achievement largely to Jigawa’s fiscal discipline and governance reforms, alongside notable contributions from Kano and Sokoto states.
The report noted that states making the greatest progress are not necessarily those with the highest revenues but those that effectively transform available resources into measurable development outcomes through prudent financial management, transparency, sound governance, and efficient implementation of policies.
Phillips Consulting further described Jigawa as a national model for responsible fiscal management, highlighting that the state maintains Nigeria’s lowest debt burden per capita while delivering sustainable development despite prevailing economic challenges.
The Phillips Consulting State Performance Index is recognised as an independent, evidence-based assessment of governance at the subnational level, providing governments, investors, development partners and civil society organisations with objective indicators on fiscal health, governance quality, service delivery and development performance.
