Mbah’s Enugu Emerges Nigeria’s Fastest Improving State in Phillips Consulting Index
· Ranks first with +1.15 score, ahead of Jigawa, Abia
· Report credits governance reforms, fiscal discipline, institutional capacity
· South-east tops regional performance
· Katsina, Imo, Edo at bottom of table
· Ex-Senate President Nnamani, NASS Caucus hail governor
· Say Mbah poster boy for good governance
Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja
Enugu State has been ranked as Nigeria’s fastest-improving state in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Momentum Index, outperforming 32 other states in the latest assessment of governance and development across the country.
The report assigned Enugu under Governor Peter Mbah a Momentum Score of +1.15, the highest among the 33 states assessed, placing it ahead of Jigawa, which scored +0.77, and Abia with +0.67 to complete the top three.
According to Phillips Consulting, the Momentum Index measures the rate at which states improved relative to the national average during the review period. Positive scores indicate above-average progress, while negative scores reflect slower-than-average improvement.
The report said Enugu’s emergence as the national leader reflected deliberate governance, strong fiscal discipline, and sustained implementation of reforms, while the South-east recorded the strongest overall regional performance among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani, and Enugu State Caucus of the National Assembly congratulated Mbah on Enugu’s emergence as Nigeria’s fastest-improving. They said Enugu, under Mbah’s leadership, had witnessed unprecedented transformation, thus, making him the poster boy for good subnational governance in Nigeria.
The index is one of the major additions to the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI), a data-driven framework that evaluates governance and development outcomes across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Unlike traditional rankings that focus solely on current performance, the Momentum Index tracks the pace of change over time by combining objective development indicators with citizen perception to provide a broader assessment of each state’s progress.
Beyond the top three states, Osun (+0.65), Kano (+0.46), Gombe (+0.39), Akwa Ibom (+0.33), Sokoto (+0.27), Borno (+0.26), Ogun (+0.24), Ekiti (+0.19), Kogi (+0.15), Kwara (+0.08), Kaduna (+0.01) and Adamawa (+0.01) also posted positive momentum scores, signalling improvements above or broadly in line with the national average.
On the other hand, Niger (-0.03), Bauchi (-0.05), Plateau (-0.07), Lagos (-0.08), Cross River (-0.09), Bayelsa (-0.10), Taraba (-0.14), Nasarawa (-0.17), Anambra (-0.19), Delta (-0.24), Kebbi (-0.25), Oyo (-0.26), Ebonyi (-0.32), Ondo (-0.43), Benue (-0.49), Katsina (-0.66), Imo (-0.72) and Edo (-0.79) recorded below-average momentum, with Edo ranking as the least-improved state during the assessment period.
The report stated, “The highest-performing states demonstrate different pathways to improvement. Although several common themes emerge, stronger fiscal management, improvements in internally generated revenue, investments in service delivery, and prudent debt management are prominent across many leading states.
“Enugu recorded the highest Momentum Index score, supported by substantial growth in internally generated revenue through revenue administration reforms. The state now earns more than twice its federal allocation alongside notable investments in water infrastructure and sustained capital spending.”
Overall, the findings suggested that favourable economic conditions alone were not sufficient to improve momentum, stressing that states that complemented increased fiscal resources with effective governance, sound financial management, and improvements in public service delivery generally recorded stronger performance than those where these gains were not realised.
Since his assumption of office, the Enugu State governor said he had prioritised infrastructure, education, healthcare, security, and economic growth as part of an ambitious agenda to transform the state into a leading investment destination.
The government said it had embarked on the construction and rehabilitation of hundreds of kilometres of roads and bridges, launched an extensive urban renewal programme, expanded water supply projects, and invested in transport infrastructure.
In education, the government said it had begun the rollout of Smart Green Schools across the state’s wards, while the healthcare sector had seen the development of Type-2 Primary Healthcare Centres and the upgrade of existing medical facilities to improve access to quality healthcare.
The administration has also pursued reforms aimed at boosting Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), improving the ease of doing business, and strengthening digital governance.
Investments in agriculture, technology and youth empowerment have been complemented by enhanced security initiatives, including the deployment of surveillance technology, and the establishment of a modern command-and-control system to support law enforcement.
Phillips Consulting explained that the Momentum Index evaluated the extent of change recorded by each state during the review period, rather than measuring absolute performance.
The report stated that Enugu’s performance demonstrated how purposeful leadership and disciplined execution of public policies could translate into measurable development outcomes within a relatively short period.
It further highlighted the state’s progress in governance effectiveness, institutional reforms, and implementation capacity, describing Enugu as one of Nigeria’s leading examples of transformational governance.
Phillips Consulting ranking provides independent validation of Enugu’s reform agenda and reinforces its position as one of Nigeria’s emerging models for sustainable development and effective governance.
Earlier, at the launch of the 2026 pSPI, Chairman of Phillips Consulting, Folusho Phillips, described the report as “a strategic national asset” capable of strengthening governance and accelerating sustainable development across Nigeria.
Phillips stated, “As Nigeria continues its journey toward sustainable economic growth and stronger institutions, access to credible evidence has never been more important.
“The 2026 pSPI is designed to move conversations beyond assumptions and political narratives by providing a trusted framework for measuring progress, identifying opportunities, and driving accountability.
“We believe every state should see this report not merely as an assessment, but as a practical tool for improving governance, strengthening institutions, and creating better outcomes for citizens.”
Chief Operating Officer of Phillips Consulting, Olawanle Moronkeji, said the report went beyond performance measurement, describing it as “an intelligence resource” that supports policy formulation, resource allocation, investment decisions, and development planning.
Moronkeji explained, “The value of the 2026 pSPI extends far beyond performance measurement. It is an intelligence resource that supports better policy formulation, smarter resource allocation, stronger investment decisions, and more effective development interventions.
“Governments can identify where reforms are yielding results and where additional effort is required.
“Investors can better understand the operating environment across states, while development partners gain valuable insights for programme design and impact measurement.
“This is precisely the type of evidence required to support long-term national development.”
Providing further insight into the methodology, Head of the Abuja Office of Phillips Consulting, Victor Mba, explained that the 2026 edition represented a significant evolution in the assessment of state performance.
Mba said, “This year’s report represents a major advancement in our methodology. Rather than focusing solely on comparative rankings, we developed the Momentum Index better to capture the trajectory of progress within each state.
“By combining objective data with citizen perspectives, we provide a richer understanding of governance performance and development outcomes.
“The result is a report that not only tells us where states stand today but also offers practical recommendations and implementation roadmaps that leaders can use to improve performance over time.”
The report draws on the 2026 pSPI dataset, FY2024 audited state accounts, population and Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) baselines, and the 2026 citizen perception survey, while the overall index combines 70 per cent objective data with 30 per cent citizen perception across seven pillars: security, education, health, basic infrastructure, governance, economic development, and fiscal performance.
The 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Momentum Index assessed 33 states and ranked them based on how far they advanced during the review period relative to the national average.
On why some states were not assessed, Phillips Consulting stated, “Two states, the FCT and Rivers, had not published their FY2024 audited financial statements by the Index cut-off date (June 2026) and are therefore not included in the 2026 Momentum Index.
“Two more states, Yobe and Zamfara, did publish accounts and are fully assessed on the objective measures, but returned too few survey responses for their citizen verdict to be reliable.”
Nnamani and the Enugu State caucus at the National Assembly congratulated Mbah on the state’s emergence as Nigeria’s fastest-improving state. They said Mbah’s leadership had brought unprecedented transformation to Enugu State, making the governor the poster boy for good subnational governance in Nigeria.
In a statement he released at his Amechi Uwani country home, Enugu South Local Government Area, Enugu State, yesterday, Nnamani said the rating did not come to the country as a surprise. He said any discussion about good governance in Nigeria today without a mention of Enugu State and Mbah in the lead would be viewed as a mistake.
The former senate president stated, “This is good news for the people of Enugu State and I join other well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy and good governance in congratulating Governor Peter Mbah on this achievement.
“The truth, however, is that it did not come as a surprise to us, the people of Enugu State and those who have followed development in the state since the governor assumed office in May 2023. Indeed, any discussion about good governance and transformative leadership without the mention of Enugu State under Governor Mbah’s leadership could only be a mistake.
“From the security sector to the health, education, agriculture, transport, tourism sectors and infrastructure, he has turned the state around in just three years and achieved what many could not achieve in eight years.
“The Philips Report justifies his endorsement for a second term by each of the three senatorial districts of the state because he is not presenting a promissory note. We will all be enthusiastically campaigning for him on the strength of his outstanding performance.
“Like him or hate him, Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah is no doubt the poster boy for good sub-national governance in Nigeria today and we are very proud of him.”
Similarly, in a statement signed on its behalf by former Minority Whip of the Senate, Senator Osita Ngwu, the Enugu State Caucus of the National Assembly commended Mbah for making the state proud.
The caucus stated, “On behalf of our constituents, the entire good people of Enugu State, we congratulate our dear governor for putting Enugu State on the map yet again.
“The Philips Consulting 2026 Momentum Index ranking fully reflects the scale of good governance and uncommon development across all sectors in the state.
“Under Governor Peter Mbah’s leadership, Enugu State has no doubt reclaimed its pre-eminence as a destination of choice for business, investment, tourism, and for living, thanks to his visionary leadership and heavy investment in socioeconomic infrastructure.
“The report is another testimony that the administration’s vision to grow the state’s economy from $4.4 billion to $30 billion is very much on course.
“We, therefore, pledge our continued support to ensure that this momentum is not only sustained, but also continues on the upward trajectory.”