ABIA RANKS SECOND NATIONALLY IN REVISED 2026 STATE PERFORMANCE INDEX. (PHOTO).

 

Abia Ranks Second Nationally in Revised 2026 State Performance Index

Abia State has emerged as Nigeria’s second-highest-performing state in the revised 2026 State Performance Index by Phillips Consulting, recording the largest momentum gain across three editions of the assessment.

Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu said on Monday that the revised report placed Abia second nationally with a composite score of 0.55, behind Jigawa State.

Abia rose from 36th in 2024 to 10th in 2025 and second in 2026 — a 34-place improvement and the biggest overall gain among the 33 states ranked in the 2026 edition.

Phillips Consulting first released the 2026 National Assessment Report on July 23, 2026, using a single Momentum Index. After a review and audit of its methodology, the firm corrected identified issues and recalculated the results.

The revised edition separates current performance from progress over time. It now provides both a 2026 performance snapshot and a rank trajectory showing how each state’s position has changed across the three editions.

Under the new method, momentum is measured by changes in performance rank rather than differences in scores produced on different scales. Abia’s 36th–10th–2nd path equals a net gain of 34 places.

The report lists Abia as the leading state in the South-East and among the strongest performers nationwide. Its strongest pillar was citizen satisfaction, with a standardised score of +1.78 and an absolute score of 3.92, classified as “Good,” based on 770 responses.

Residents rated government support for business highest at 4.45, roads at 4.42 and publicity of government policies at 4.33. Lower ratings included finding employment at 3.12, clean water at 3.22 and law-enforcement conduct at 3.56.

On fiscal indicators, Abia recorded 27 per cent revenue self-reliance, internally generated revenue per capita of about N13,100, debt per capita of about N31,300, a 36 per cent debt-to-revenue ratio and a 70 per cent capital expenditure share.

Transparency is now scored according to when each state published its audited accounts relative to the statutory deadline. States without qualifying accounts were left unscored rather than given an automatic zero. Abia’s transparency score was 0.38. The revised report used the state’s FY2025 audited accounts, replacing the FY2024 figures from the initial launch.

Phillips Consulting also revised its debt-sustainability assessment to consider both debt per capita and debt relative to revenue.

The South-East featured strongly in the revised rankings. Abia holds the highest position in the region at second nationally, followed by Enugu in third place. Jigawa tops the 2026 performance snapshot.

The firm said the distinction matters: the performance ranking shows where states stand in the current edition, while the momentum measure tracks how their positions have changed over time.

Kanu said the revised assessment gives a fuller picture of Abia’s performance, combining citizen experience, fiscal sustainability, revenue performance, transparency and the state’s trajectory across the three editions.