By Peace Erewunmi

Kano State has been ranked as the highest-performing sub-national government in West Africa for education spending, according to the 2026 Sub-National Education Spending Index released by the University of Paris. The assessment covered 209 first-level sub-national governments across the 15 member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

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 highly ranked regions, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State emerged as the second highest-ranked Nigerian state, placing 16th overall in the regional assessment.

The index evaluates governments based on several indicators, including actual education expenditure, spending per student, budget execution, the proportion of the budget devoted to education, transparency, and evidence-based reporting. Under the methodology, actual education spending carries the highest weighting, followed by spending per student and budget implementation.

The report attributed Kano’s leading position to its sustained investment in education and effective implementation of its education budget. In recent years, the state government declared a state of emergency in the education sector and increased funding for school infrastructure, teacher recruitment and training, learning materials, and programmes aimed at expanding access to quality education.

According to the assessment, Kano allocated a significant share of its annual budget to education, a move that contributed to improved budget execution and stronger performance across the evaluation criteria. The report noted that the state’s commitment to education distinguished it from other sub-national governments in the region.

The ranking covered states, regions, districts, and municipalities across ECOWAS countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Cabo Verde.

Education stakeholders say the recognition highlights the importance of sustained investment and efficient budget implementation in improving learning outcomes. They also note that while increased spending is important, the long-term impact will depend on how effectively the resources translate into better schools, improved teaching quality, and higher student achievement.