Kaduna and Jigawa States, two states PACE actively supports, have been recognised among Nigeria’s top-performing states in the 2025 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index, ranking 3rd and 8th respectively and earning Excellent Four-Star Ratings. The recognition highlights the importance of sustained state-led reform, stronger public systems, and coordinated development partnerships in improving governance and development outcomes at the subnational level.
For both states, the ranking points to reform momentum built over time through deliberate policy choices, institutional improvements, and targeted investments in key sectors. It also reinforces the value of aligning governance reforms with broader development priorities, particularly in areas such as fiscal resilience, service delivery, climate response, and inclusive growth.
What the Rankings Tell Us
The Phillips Consulting State Performance Index assesses state performance across a broad set of development indicators, including governance, fiscal management, economic development, infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, security, and social inclusion. By looking across these interconnected areas, the index provides a useful lens for understanding how states are strengthening the systems, institutions, and investments required to deliver better outcomes for citizens. It also shows that strong state performance is not driven by a single sector, but by the ability of government institutions to plan, coordinate, finance, and deliver across multiple development priorities.
The recognition of Kaduna and Jigawa is significant because state performance is rarely the result of isolated interventions. It is usually built through sustained reforms, stronger institutions, better coordination, and continued investment in systems that improve how government plans, manages resources, delivers services, and responds to citizens’ needs. For both states, the rankings underscore the importance of reform continuity at the state level. They also show how improvements across governance, fiscal management, service delivery, economic development, and inclusion can reinforce one another when supported by clear leadership and coordinated technical assistance.
State Leadership at the Centre of Progress
Importantly, the progress reflected in the rankings is, first and foremost, a result of the ownership and reform-mindedness of the Kaduna and Jigawa State Governments. Their continued investments in public systems, institutional strengthening, and development planning have created the foundation for improved performance across key sectors. These state-led efforts are being supported by PACE (and legacy Programmes before it), working alongside government institutions to strengthen capacity, improve coordination, and support the implementation of reforms. This combination of government leadership and targeted
technical support remains critical to sustaining progress and translating reform commitments into practical outcomes.
Strengthening the Systems Behind Performance
Through targeted Technical Assistance, PACE has contributed to improving governance systems and reform processes in both states. The programme has supported work around public financial management, investment promotion, climate governance, stakeholder engagement, and systems for more inclusive planning and delivery.
PACE’s support has also contributed to efforts to improve state readiness for climate finance, strengthen institutional coordination around climate action, and support social protection systems that can better respond to the needs of poor and vulnerable populations. These areas are important because they help build the enabling conditions for more effective public sector performance, stronger resilience, and more inclusive development outcomes.
A Wider Partnership Ecosystem
The progress recorded in Kaduna and Jigawa also reflects the value of coordinated support across the wider UK International Development portfolio in Nigeria. Alongside PACE, other FCDO-supported programmes continue to contribute to sector-specific reforms and development outcomes across the two states.
These include Lafiya, which supports health systems strengthening; PLANE, which focuses on education and learning outcomes; Propcom+, which contributes to agriculture, market systems, and economic development; and SPRING, which supports peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and security. Together, these programmes complement state-led priorities and contribute to a broader ecosystem of reforms across governance, service delivery, economic resilience, and social inclusion.
Sustaining the Momentum
The recognition of Kaduna and Jigawa among Nigeria’s top-performing states is an important marker of reform momentum. It highlights what can be achieved when state leadership, institutional reforms, sector investments, and coordinated development support work in the same direction. Sustaining this progress will require continued commitment to reform, stronger coordination across government institutions and development partners, and a focus on translating improved systems into better outcomes for citizens. For PACE and the wider FCDO portfolio, the rankings provide an opportunity to reflect on the value of long-term systems strengthening while continuing to support state-led efforts that advance inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development.