BENIN CITY: Edo State has been named among the top-performing states in Nigeria for achieving over 80 percent implementation of its 2024 health budget, according to BudgIT’s 2025 State of States Report released in Abuja
The civic tech non-profit organisation listed Edo alongside Yobe, Gombe, Ekiti, Lagos, Delta, and Bauchi as states that demonstrated strong commitment to healthcare funding and delivery.
According to the report, Nigerian states collectively budgeted ₦1.32 trillion for health in 2024 but spent ₦816.64 billion, representing a 61.9 percent performance rate. Yobe topped the list with 98.2 percent implementation, while Edo was recognised for exceeding the 80 percent benchmark, placing it among the country’s leaders in effective health sector spending.
BudgIT’s Global Director, Mr. Oluseun Onigbinde, praised states like Edo that channelled significant portions of their budgets into critical sectors such as health and education, describing such efforts as key to improving citizens’ welfare.
“The State of States report is a mirror reflecting the choices our state governments make, the paths they follow, and the opportunities they seize or leave behind,” Onigbinde said.
Also speaking, Dr. Uche Amaonwu, Nigeria Country Director of the Gates Foundation, commended BudgIT for its decade-long advocacy for fiscal transparency and accountability.
He said that strong fiscal systems enhance service delivery, empower citizens, and promote shared prosperity.
The 2025 State of States Report also ranked Edo among the top five states in overall fiscal management, following Anambra, Lagos, Kwara, and Abia.
BudgIT explained that the annual report assessed 35 states on parameters such as revenue generation, expenditure efficiency, debt sustainability, and investments in the health and education sectors.