Crusoe Osagie reflects on the findings of the 2026 Phillips Consulting States Performance Index and distils possible learning points from Edo State’s abysmal performance
The 2026 Phillips Consulting State Performance Index (pSPI), released this week, placed Enugu State at the top of the 33 states assessed as the most improved relative to the national average, while identifying Edo State as the least improved.
While it will be difficult to cut through the political noise that this report is most likely to generate, it is essential to put this very important survey into proper perspective and draw the necessary lessons from its findings.
The 2026 pSPI is more than another state ranking. Built on 37 performance indicators across seven pillars—security, education, health, basic infrastructure, governance, economic development, and fiscal performance—it combines 70 percent objective data with 30 percent citizen perception. More significantly, this year’s edition introduces a Momentum Index that measures whether states are moving forward or backward relative to the national average. It is, therefore, not merely a snapshot of where states are today but a measure of the direction in which they are travelling. That distinction is critical.
