Kano tops ECOWAS sub-national education spending ranking – Report

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, citing the state’s sustained investment in education and strong budget implementation.

According to the index, Kano recorded an overall Sub-National Weighted Aggregate Education Spending Index (S-WAESI) score of 87.21, placing it ahead of other high-performing regions, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State was the next highest-ranked Nigerian state, placing 16th overall.

The assessment measured governments’ commitment to education using indicators such as actual education expenditure, spending per student, budget execution, education priority, transparency and evidence-based reporting.

Under the methodology, actual education spending accounted for 35 points, spending per student 25 points, budget execution 20 points, education priority 10 points and transparency another 10 points.

The report attributed Kano’s top ranking to its strong education spending and effective execution of education budgets.

The recognition follows the Kano State Government’s declaration of a state of emergency on education, a policy aimed at addressing long-standing challenges through increased funding, improved infrastructure, teacher recruitment and expanded access to quality education.

Since the declaration, the administration of Abba Kabir Yusuf has consistently allocated one of the largest shares of the state’s annual budget to education.

The governor earmarked 29.5 per cent of the state’s 2024 budget and 30 per cent of the 2025 budget for the education sector, alongside an education recovery plan developed in collaboration with international development partners.

The ranking 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 report, the Kano State Accountability Forum on Education said the recognition reflects the state’s sustained commitment to expanding access to education, improving school infrastructure and strengthening education planning and budget implementation.

Education stakeholders said the ranking reinforces the importance of sustained investment in education as a driver of improved learning outcomes and human capital development across the state.