Lagos State has emerged as Nigeria’s best-performing state in the 2025 State Performance Index (pSPI), with Ogun and Kaduna following closely behind to complete the top three rankings.
The annual report, released by Phillips Consulting, assesses the performance of Nigeria’s 36 states across key governance and development indicators, providing a comprehensive snapshot of public sector effectiveness and service delivery.
According to the report, Lagos earned the only five-star rating in this year’s assessment, reaffirming its position as the country’s leading state in governance, infrastructure development, fiscal management and public service outcomes.
Ogun State secured second place with a four-star rating, while Kaduna State ranked third, also earning four stars. Adamawa State followed in fourth position, reflecting strong performance across multiple development indicators.
The 2025 edition of the index introduced a new five-star rating system and adopted a balanced methodology, with 70 percent of scores derived from objective measures such as audited financial statements, infrastructure delivery, fiscal sustainability and service outcomes. The remaining 30 percent was based on a nationwide citizen perception survey.
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was excluded from the rankings after failing to publish audited financial reports required for assessment.
Top 10 States in the 2025 pSPI Rankings:
1. Lagos State (★★★★★)
2. Ogun State (★★★★)
3. Kaduna State (★★★★)
4. Adamawa State (★★★★)
5. Niger State
6. Nasarawa State
7. Gombe State
8. Jigawa State
9. Plateau State
10. Abia State
The rankings are designed to provide an evidence-based evaluation of state-level governance and development performance, while encouraging transparency, accountability and improved public service delivery across Nigeria.
