Abia State has been ranked Nigeria’s second-highest-performing state in the revised 2026 State Performance Index Report released by Phillips Consulting, recording the largest improvement in ranking across the three editions of the assessment.

The state scored 0.55 in the revised performance assessment, placing it behind Jigawa State and ahead of other states in the latest ranking.

According to a statement issued on Monday by Abia State Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, Abia’s position represents a 34-place improvement over the three editions of the report.

The state was ranked 36th in 2024 before moving to 10th in 2025 and eventually second in the revised 2026 edition.

The Commissioner explained that Phillips Consulting initially released its 2026 National Assessment Report on July 23, 2026, using a single Momentum Index based on a blended score.

He said the consulting firm subsequently reviewed and audited its methodology, identified issues and recalculated the results, leading to the revised edition.

Under the revised methodology, current state performance is separated from progress over time. The report therefore provides a snapshot of performance in 2026 alongside a trajectory showing changes in each state’s ranking across the three editions.

The statement said momentum is now calculated based on changes in performance rankings rather than differences between scores generated using different assessment scales.

Based on Abia’s ranking trajectory of 36th in 2024, 10th in 2025 and second in 2026, the state recorded a net improvement of 34 positions.

The report also identified Abia as the highest-ranked state in the South-East and one of the strongest-performing states nationally.

Citizen satisfaction was identified as the state’s strongest performance pillar, with a standardised score of +1.78 and an absolute score of 3.92, classified as “Good” based on responses from 770 residents.

Among specific areas assessed, residents gave the highest ratings to government support for business at 4.45, roads at 4.42 and publicity of government policies at 4.33.

Lower ratings were recorded in areas including access to employment opportunities, which scored 3.12, clean water at 3.22 and law-enforcement conduct at 3.56.

On fiscal performance, the report placed Abia’s revenue self-reliance at 27 per cent, while Internally Generated Revenue per capita stood at approximately N13,100.

The state’s debt per capita was put at about N31,300, with a debt-to-revenue ratio of 36 per cent and capital expenditure accounting for 70 per cent.

The revised assessment also changed the way transparency was measured. Rather than automatically assigning a zero to states without qualifying accounts, the report considered the date on which audited accounts were published in relation to the statutory deadline.

For Abia, the transparency score was recorded at 0.38, with the revised assessment using the state’s 2025 financial year audited accounts instead of the 2024 figures used in the initial report.

Phillips Consulting also revised its approach to assessing debt sustainability by considering both debt per capita and debt relative to revenue, providing a broader assessment of states’ fiscal positions.

The South-East recorded several notable improvements in the revised assessment. Abia ranked second nationally, while Enugu placed third, with Jigawa occupying the top position in the 2026 performance snapshot.

The report distinguishes between performance and momentum, with the former indicating a state’s position in the current assessment and the latter measuring changes in its position over time.

According to the Commissioner, the revised report therefore provides a broader assessment of Abia’s performance by combining citizen experience, fiscal indicators, revenue generation, transparency and the state’s ranking trajectory across the three editions.