Jigawa State has emerged as Nigeria’s second most improved state in the Phillips Consulting (PCL) State Performance Index (pSPI) 2026 National Assessment Report.
The Chief Press Secretary to Jigawa Governor Hamisu Mohammed Gumel, in a statement in Dutse says that the report also ranked Jigawa as the highest-performing state in the North-West geopolitical zone on its 2026 Momentum Index.
The assessment evaluated all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory across 37 governance and development indicators, using 70 per cent objective data from audited public financial records and other credible official sources, alongside 30 per cent citizen perception surveys.
Unlike previous assessments that used a conventional league table, the 2026 report introduced a Momentum Index to measure each state’s progress since the previous evaluation. Jigawa recorded a score of +0.77, placing it second nationally behind Enugu State.
According to the report, Jigawa’s strong performance was driven by fiscal discipline, the lowest debt burden per capita in Nigeria, relatively stable agricultural activities despite regional security challenges, and sustained improvements in governance and public service delivery.
The state also ranked second nationally in overall citizen satisfaction, scoring 3.69 out of 5, reflecting strong public confidence in its performance.
Citizens gave particularly favourable assessments of Jigawa’s road infrastructure, security and the integrity of public servants, areas in which the state was described as performing strongly nationwide.
At the regional level, the report ranked the North-West as Nigeria’s second-best-performing geopolitical zone on the Momentum Index, with Jigawa’s fiscal discipline and reform efforts contributing significantly to the zone’s performance alongside Kano and Sokoto states.
Phillips Consulting said the findings demonstrate that states making the greatest progress are not necessarily those with the highest revenues, but those that effectively translate available resources into measurable improvements through sound governance, prudent financial management, transparency and effective implementation.
The report further described Jigawa as an example of responsible fiscal management, noting that the state has the lowest debt burden per capita in Nigeria.
The Phillips Consulting State Performance Index is an independent, evidence-based benchmark designed to assess subnational governance, fiscal health, public service delivery and development performance across Nigeria’s states.
Usman Muhammed Zaria
