Education Spending: Kano beats 207 other regions, ranked best in Africa

Kano State has been ranked as the top sub-national government in West Africa for spending on education, according to the 2026 Sub-National Education Spending Index released by the University of Paris.

The report assessed 209 states, regions, districts and municipalities across the 15 member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Kano scored 87.21 points on the index, placing it first overall. It ranked ahead of Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State was the second highest-ranked state in Nigeria and placed 16th overall.
The ranking measured how much governments invest in education and how effectively they manage education budgets. Factors considered included actual education spending, spending per student, budget implementation, priority given to education, transparency and the use of evidence in reporting.
According to the report, Kano’s strong performance was largely due to its high level of education funding and efficient execution of its education budget.

The recognition comes after the Kano State Government declared a state of emergency in the education sector to tackle long-standing challenges such as poor infrastructure and limited access to quality education.

As part of its education reforms, the state government has invested in building and renovating schools, hiring teachers, providing learning materials and expanding educational opportunities for students.

The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education said the ranking reflects the government’s efforts to improve school infrastructure, planning and budget management.

Governor Abba Yusuf allocated 29.5 per cent of the state’s 2024 budget to education and increased the allocation to 30 per cent in 2025. These are among the highest education budget allocations in Nigeria.

The state government also developed an education recovery plan with support from international development partners to improve learning outcomes and strengthen human capital development.

The report highlights Kano’s commitment to improving education and its growing reputation as a leader in educational investment and reform across West Africa.