Lagos tops Nigeria's state fiscal ranking in BudgIT's 2026 report with a score of 66.97

LAGOS, Nov 4 — Lagos State has placed first among 35 states in BudgIT's 2026 State of States report, scoring 66.97, followed by Enugu with 65.45 and Bayelsa with 64.30. The report, launched on Tuesday, November 3, examines the finances of 35 Nigerian states in 2025; its publication year should not be confused with the year covered by the financial data.

A revised method

The new report groups the assessment into four areas: revenue performance, carrying 40% of the score; fiscal viability, 30%; debt sustainability, 15%; and spending on selected critical sectors, 15%. Lagos collected approximately ₦1.71 trillion in internally generated revenue in 2025, according to the report, representing 67.72% of its recurrent revenue.

Two cautions

BudgIT cautions that changes in overall ranking from one edition to another cannot be treated as direct evidence of improvement or deterioration under an identical test, since the method has changed. The report also notes that the state had not produced a 2025 audited financial statement or budget implementation reports for the year under review.

(Source: BudgIT State of States 2026 report, reported Nov 4, 2026. Photo: file image of the Lagos skyline.)