Kano State has emerged as the highest-ranked sub-national government in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for education spending, according to the 2026 Sub-National Education Spending Index published by the University of Paris.
The report ranked Kano first among 209 first-level sub-national governments across the 15 ECOWAS member states, recognising the state’s sustained investment in education and commitment to improving learning outcomes.
The ranking follows the Kano State Government’s declaration of a state of emergency on education, a policy aimed at addressing long-standing challenges in the sector through increased funding, infrastructure development, teacher recruitment and expanded access to quality education.
Since the declaration, the administration has consistently allocated one of the largest shares of its annual budget to education, investing in the construction and rehabilitation of schools, recruitment and training of teachers, provision of learning materials and implementation of programmes to improve access to education.
According to the report, Kano recorded an overall Sub-National Weighted Aggregate Education Spending Index (S-WAESI) score of 87.21, placing it ahead of other top-performing sub-national governments, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State ranked as the next highest-performing Nigerian state, placing 16th overall.
The S-WAESI evaluates governments’ commitment to education using indicators such as actual education expenditure, spending per student, budget execution, education budget priority, transparency and evidence-based reporting.
Under the assessment methodology, actual education spending accounts for 35 points, spending per student 25 points, budget execution 20 points, while education priority and transparency account for 10 points each.
The report attributed Kano’s top ranking to its strong education spending and effective implementation of education budgets, describing the state as the best-performing sub-national government in the ECOWAS region.
The assessment covered states, regions, districts and municipalities across Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde.
Reacting to the development, the Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) said the recognition reflects the government’s sustained commitment to expanding access to quality education, improving school infrastructure and strengthening education planning and budget implementation.
Education stakeholders also described the ranking as a validation of the state’s policy direction following the declaration of a state of emergency on education, noting that sustained public investment remains critical to improving learning outcomes and human capital development.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration allocated 29.5 per cent of the state’s 2024 budget and 30 per cent of the 2025 budget to the education sector, among the highest education budget allocations in Nigeria.
The investment forms part of the government’s comprehensive education recovery plan, developed in partnership with international development partners, to address infrastructure deficits, improve teaching and learning, and reposition the education sector for sustainable growth.