Introduction

Phillips Consulting has unveiled a revised edition of its 2026 State Performance Index (pSPI), raising the bar for how subnational performance is measured across Nigeria. The update brings in fresh FY2025 financial data and stronger methodological safeguards, ensuring the benchmark remains relevant and rigorous.

What Happened

The revised pSPI supersedes the version released earlier in July 2026, which had used FY2024 data. With the release of FY2025 audited accounts, Phillips Consulting recalibrated the index to reflect the most current fiscal reality. Key changes include splitting the single Momentum Index into two distinct measures Performance Snapshot and Rank Trajectory and updating the financial assessment to look at debt per capita and debt relative to state revenue. The methodology also now evaluates financial transparency by publication date rather than assigning a zero for missing data.

Why This Matters

For governments investors development partners and citizens the pSPI is more than a ranking its an evidence-based tool for understanding where states stand and how their position is shifting over time. The refinements make the index more comparable across editions and reduce the risk of misinterpreting data gaps as performance outcomes. By focusing on both current standing and movement over time the revised index offers a clearer lens for decision-making and resource allocation.

Key Takeaways

  • The 2026 pSPI now uses FY2025 audited financial statements replacing earlier FY2024 data.
  • Movement between editions is measured by rank change rather than score differences accounting for varying score scales across years.
  • The financial health assessment now considers debt per capita and debt-to-revenue ratios while transparency is judged by whether states published audited accounts by the statutory deadline.
  • States without qualifying data are simply left unscored avoiding misleading zero ratings.
  • A new publication cycle will release the index after July 31 each year ensuring audited data is fully available.

Conclusion

The revised 2026 pSPI strengthens the index integrity without changing its core purpose providing evidence-based insight into Nigeria State Performance landscape. With methodological upgrades a clearer two-measure framework and a commitment to using the latest audited data the index stands as a more reliable resource for stakeholders aiming to understand and improve state-level governance and development outcomes.