Abia State Emerges Among Nigeria’s Top 10 Best-Performing States in 2025, Rising from Bottom to 10th on National Governance Index

Abia State has recorded a remarkable turnaround in governance ranking, securing the 10th position in the 2025 pcl. State Performance Index (pSPI) after previously sitting at the bottom of the table in 2024.

The pSPI, developed by Phillips Consulting (pcl.), is an annual national assessment tool that evaluates governance across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The 2025 edition marks its second release and introduces a refined methodology that emphasizes verifiable performance data over mere perception, reshaping the landscape of state rankings.

Abia’s meteoric rise reflects deliberate reforms and renewed focus on transparency, accountability, and development-driven policies. Alongside Abia, states such as Adamawa, which climbed from 26th in 2024 to 5th in 2025, and Niger, which moved from 29th to 6th, also made significant leaps, demonstrating the impact of targeted governance strategies.

The latest report also saw major reshuffles at the top. Lagos moved from 4th in 2024 to 1st in 2025, driven by strong audited financials despite a weaker perception score. Conversely, Gombe, which was ranked 1st in 2024, fell to 8th position after weaknesses were exposed in its audited financials, even though its perception score remained high.

While some states surged upward, others dropped significantly. The FCT, Bayelsa, and Kano recorded notable declines, underscoring the importance of fiscal discipline and transparent governance in sustaining positive outlooks.

For Abia, this new ranking is a signal of restored confidence and recognition of reforms reshaping the state’s governance narrative. From last place to a top-10 performer within a year, the state’s turnaround story underscores how visionary policies and effective governance can translate into measurable impact at the national level.