Phillips Consulting Ranks Enugu First for Governance, Fiscal Discipline and Development.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform | September 12, 2026.
ENUGU State has emerged as Nigeria’s fastest-improving state in the 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI) Momentum Index, providing an independent assessment of the pace of development and reforms under the administration of Governor Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
The assessment placed Enugu first among the 33 states assessed, with a Momentum Score of +1.15, ahead of Jigawa with +0.77 and Abia with +0.67. The Momentum Index measures how rapidly states improved relative to the national average during the assessment period.
According to Phillips Consulting, the 2026 pSPI was designed to provide a data-driven assessment of governance and development across Nigeria. Its methodology combines 70 per cent objective secondary data with 30 per cent citizen-perception data, covering 37 performance indicators across seven major dimensions of development.
The ranking places particular emphasis not merely on where a state currently stands, but on the speed and direction of its progress. In that regard, Enugu’s leading position signals significant improvement during the review period.
The report associated Enugu’s performance with deliberate governance, fiscal discipline, institutional reforms and sustained implementation of development programmes, while also identifying the South-East as the strongest-performing geopolitical zone overall.
The recognition comes amid the Mbah administration’s broader ambition to reposition Enugu as a major destination for investment, business, tourism and living, while growing the state’s economy toward its $30 billion target. The governor’s stated vision also includes making Enugu one of Nigeria’s top three states by GDP and substantially reducing poverty.
The ranking has attracted commendations from prominent Enugu stakeholders. Former Senate President Ken Nnamani and the Enugu State Caucus in the National Assembly have described the recognition as evidence of the transformation taking place across critical sectors of the state.
For residents and stakeholders, the significance of the ranking extends beyond the recognition itself. It raises the expectation that the current development momentum should be sustained, while translating government reforms and investments into even greater improvements in jobs, infrastructure, education, healthcare, security and the general standard of living.
The latest recognition therefore adds another important dimension to the ongoing conversation about Enugu’s development trajectory under Governor Mbah and the state’s ambition to become a more competitive economic hub in Nigeria.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform, will continue to monitor Enugu’s development trajectory, promote accountability and public participation, and report on initiatives shaping the future of the Coal City State.
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