Lagos State has topped the 2025 edition of the Philips Consulting Limited State Performance Index (pSPI), reaffirming its status as Nigeria’s economic and governance leader. The achievement highlights Lagos’s continued excellence in public service delivery, innovation, and internally generated revenue (IGR).
Now in its second year, the pSPI has evolved into a key benchmark for evaluating sub-national development across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The 2025 report marked a significant methodological shift, focusing more on data-driven, outcome-based indicators rather than perception-based assessments.
This transition reflects a growing national demand for accountability and measurable governance.
Lagos ranked highest in several key metrics, especially in IGR, where it outperformed all other states. The report credited Lagos’s dominance to its position as Nigeria’s commercial capital, home to major ports, a vibrant private sector, and extensive infrastructure that supports business growth.
“Lagos is the economic nerve centre of the country,” said Mr. Victor Mba, Head of International Development at Philips Consulting in Abuja.
“Its ports and logistics networks drive massive revenue, but more importantly, the state has built a platform that supports and scales private sector activity.”
This ability to convert economic assets into sustainable revenue and improved public services earned Lagos a top-tier 5-star rating in the index.
Ogun State came in closely behind Lagos in IGR performance, thanks to its expanding industrial base and strong collaborations with private sector players.
The report also highlighted innovative reforms in other parts of the country. Jigawa State received commendation for launching a “one-stop-shop” investment hub, which streamlines administrative processes and reduces red tape for investors.
“You no longer need to visit multiple ministries—everything is centralized,” Mba explained.
Edo State was praised for digitizing its public service system, creating efficient communication channels, and training civil servants to operate digital platforms effectively.
“It’s one of the few states with a working government email domain,” Mba noted, pointing to Edo’s leadership in governance technology.
Perhaps most notably, several states previously ranked lower in the index showed significant improvement in 2025, signalling growing momentum for reform and innovation at the sub-national level.
The pSPI rankings continue to drive healthy competition among states and offer a blueprint for development-focused leadership in Nigeria.
