Abia State has emerged as Nigeria’s second-highest-performing state in the revised 2026 State Performance Index Report by Phillips Consulting.

The state also recorded the biggest momentum gain across the three editions of the assessment.

According to a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, the revised report placed Abia second nationally with a composite score of 0.55, behind Jigawa State. Abia moved from 36th position in 2024 to 10th in 2025 and second in 2026, a 34-place improvement that is the largest among the 33 states ranked.

Phillips Consulting initially released the 2026 report in July using a single Momentum Index. After a review of its methodology, the firm recalculated the results and now separates current performance from progress over time. Momentum is measured by changes in rank rather than differences in scores.

Abia recorded its strongest performance in citizen satisfaction, with residents giving high ratings for government support for business, road conditions and the publicity of government policies.

Areas with lower scores included employment opportunities, access to clean water and law-enforcement conduct.

On fiscal indicators, the state showed 27 per cent revenue self-reliance, Internally Generated Revenue per capita of about ₦13,100, and a 70 per cent share of capital expenditure. The report positions Abia as the leading state in the South-East and among the strongest performers nationwide under the new assessment framework.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper