Kaduna State Nigeria’s Highest-ranked in the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index

–Niger State, Cross River and 31 others ranked low

Kaduna state has been judged as Nigeria’s highest-ranked state in the 2026 Transparency and Integrity Index, scoring 54. adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 68 per cent, according to a report by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI).

Osun State ranked second with 50.54 per cent, followed by Kwara State with 48.19 per cent.

Rivers State came fourth with 37.97 per cent, while Enugu and Kebbi states occupied fifth and sixth positions, respectively, with 36.63 per cent each.

On the other hand, Niger State, Cross River and 31 others ranked low.

The report, unveiled on Monday, September 28, assessed state governments on the disclosure of public financial information, procurement practices, human resources and inclusion, anti-corruption measures, and citizens’ engagement.

The findings showed a wide gap between the highest- and lowest-ranked states, with a difference of 43.82 percentage points between Kaduna and Niger.

Furthermore, the report showed that only three of Nigeria’s 36 states scored at least 45 per cent, while 15 states, representing 40.5 per cent, recorded scores below 25 per cent.

Bayelsa and Yobe jointly ranked 34th with 14.86 per cent each, ahead of Niger, which occupied the bottom position.

The findings, according to the organisation, highlight wide differences in how state governments disclose information about public finances, government contracts, recruitment, anti-corruption measures and opportunities for citizens to engage with public institutions.

Presenting the report, Executive Director at CEPTI, Dr. Umar Yakubu said the report assessment covers five areas including fiscal transparency, open procurement, human resources and inclusion, control of corruption, and citizens’ engagement.

“Each category accounts for 20 per cent of the overall score. Fiscal transparency examines whether state governments publish budget documents, revenue and expenditure figures, allocations and audit reports.

“Open procurement assesses the availability of information about government contracts, including tender notices, contract details and implementation reports.

“The human resources and inclusion category examines the publication of information on recruitment, promotion, staffing and inclusion in the public service.

“This includes whether governments disclose recruitment procedures and relevant information about their workforce.

“The control of corruption category assesses the disclosure of anti-corruption measures, including relevant policies and whistleblowing frameworks. It considers whether information is available on the safeguards governments have put in place to address corruption.

“Citizens’ engagement examines the channels through which members of the public can communicate with government institutions, raise concerns and participate in relevant public processes.

“The report’s methodology assigns equal weight to the five categories, meaning each contributes one-fifth of a state’s final score.

A low score therefore indicates that a state performed poorly against the index’s transparency and disclosure criteria,” he explained

He said the report assessment is guided by Nigerian laws and policies, including the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, and the Fiscal Responsibility Act, as well as relevant international commitments.

How other states performed

Consequently, Gombe scored 36.55 per cent, while Anambra and Abia recorded 36.19 per cent each. Oyo followed with 36.08 per cent, and Ekiti scored 35.21 per cent.

Bauchi recorded 34.67 per cent, Ondo 31.75 per cent, Kogi 31.11 per cent, Kano 30.86 per cent, Plateau 30.41 per cent and Delta 30.22 per cent.

Akwa Ibom scored 29.97 per cent, Katsina 29.78 per cent, while Lagos and Borno jointly recorded 28.19 per cent.

Adamawa scored 26.86 per cent, Nasarawa 26.67 per cent and Sokoto 26.22 per cent.

Also, Zamfara scored 24 per cent, Jigawa 23.75 per cent, Edo 22.86 per cent, Benue 20.63 per cent, and Taraba 19.75 per cent.

Ogun recorded 18.86 per cent, Imo 18.67 per cent, Ebonyi 18.41 per cent, and Cross River 17.97 per cent.

The difference between Kaduna, the highest-ranked state, and Niger, the lowest-ranked, was 43.82 percentage points.