By Sam Otuonye
Enugu State under Gov. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah has been ranked as Nigeria’s fastest-improving state in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Momentum Index, emerging ahead of 32 other states in what experts describe as a strong endorsement of the state’s reform-driven governance and development trajectory.
The report awarded Enugu a Momentum Score of +1.15, the highest recorded among the 33 states assessed, placing it ahead of Jigawa (+0.77) and Abia (+0.67), which ranked second and third respectively. The Momentum Index measures how rapidly states improved relative to the national average during the review period, with positive scores indicating above-average progress and negative scores reflecting slower imprisonment.
Beyond the top three, 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 recorded positive momentum, indicating growth above or close to the national average.
In contrast, 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 emerging as the least-improved state in the country during the assessment period.
Phillips Consulting explained that the Momentum Index evaluates the extent of change recorded by each state during the review period, rather than measuring absolute performance.
According to the report, Enugu’s emergence as the national leader reflects 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.
The report noted that Enugu’s performance demonstrates how purposeful leadership and disciplined execution of public policies can 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.
The ranking comes amid ongoing investments by the Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah administration in critical sectors, including infrastructure, education, healthcare, transportation, digital economy, security, agriculture and ease of doing business—initiatives that have continued to reshape the state’s economic and social landscape.
Analysts say the 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.
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. Enugu’s +1.15 score not only placed it at the top of the national leaderboard but also established it as the country’s benchmark for development momentum.
