Lagos State is the only state to achieve a five-star rating in the 2025 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI), ranking first among all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The index assessed governance and development outcomes across fiscal management, economic development, infrastructure, healthcare, education, governance, environmental sustainability and digital access. Evaluation combined 70 per cent objective data with 30 per cent citizen perception scores from nearly 10,000 respondents. Lagos received an "Exceptional" rating, outperforming others in internally generated revenue, infrastructure, private-sector growth and public service delivery. The state's position as Nigeria's commercial and financial hub, along with its ports, transportation network and concentration of businesses, contributed to its lead. Digital transformation initiatives in governance also strengthened transparency and efficiency. Ogun, Kaduna, Adamawa and Niger states each earned four-star ratings, placing them behind Lagos in overall performance. These states showed strong results in key development indicators but did not match Lagos in governance effectiveness or economic resilience. Ogun ranked second overall and maintained its status as one of Nigeria's most industrialised states. Kaduna, Adamawa and Niger demonstrated improvements that moved them into the four-star category. The 2025 index shows a widening gap between Lagos and other top-performing states, with none reaching the five-star threshold. Phillips Consulting designed the index to measure subnational governance beyond financial inputs, focusing on outcomes and citizen experience. Lagos has consistently ranked among the top states in previous editions, but this year marks the first time it stands alone in the highest category. The firm stated the index aims to promote data-driven policy and accountability in public service delivery.
Lagos leads in performance while collecting the same federal allocations as states with far weaker outcomes, raising questions about resource distribution fairness. The gap between Lagos and four-star states like Ogun and Kaduna reflects unequal capacity to generate and manage revenue locally. Citizens in lower-rated states receive fewer services despite contributing to the national economy through federal taxes. This imbalance places greater pressure on Lagos to sustain national economic activity while other states lag in self-sufficiency.
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