Delta State has emerged as Nigeria’s second-best governed state under the administration of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, following the release of the 2025 Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS) Governance Performance Index (CGPI).
The latest ranking placed Delta second nationwide with a governance score of 70 per cent, trailing only Kaduna State, which topped the index with 73 per cent.
The report underscores the increasing recognition of Governor Oborevwori’s administration for its performance in governance, infrastructure development, public service delivery and effective management of state affairs.
The CIAPS Governance Performance Index evaluated governors across Nigeria’s 36 states, assessing governance outcomes and the efficiency of public administration.
With its second-place finish, Delta outperformed 34 other states, including Anambra, Niger, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Lagos, Oyo, Enugu and Borno, all of which featured in the top 10 rankings.
According to the report, Kaduna State, under Governor Uba Sani, secured the top position with 73 per cent, while Delta followed closely with 70 per cent.
Anambra State, led by Governor Charles Soludo, ranked third with 65.5 per cent, followed by Niger State under Governor Mohammed Umar Bago with 65.1 per cent.
Ekiti State, governed by Biodun Oyebanji, placed fifth with 64.5 per cent, while Akwa Ibom and Lagos States, under Governors Umo Eno and Babajide Sanwo-Olu respectively, each recorded 64 per cent to occupy the sixth and seventh positions.
Oyo State, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, ranked eighth with 61 per cent, while Enugu State under Governor Peter Mbah came ninth with 56.5 per cent. Borno State, governed by Governor Babagana Zulum, completed the top 10 with a score of 54 per cent.
In the middle tier of the rankings, Kwara, Abia, Ondo, Nasarawa, Osun, Ogun, Kano, Kogi, Edo and Jigawa occupied positions 11 to 20.
The report identified Taraba State as the lowest-performing state, recording a governance score of 20 per cent, while Yobe, Benue, Rivers, Plateau and Kebbi also featured among the bottom-ranked states.
Delta’s impressive performance is expected to further strengthen public confidence in the Oborevwori administration’s MORE Agenda, which has driven major investments in roads, bridges, healthcare, education and other critical sectors across the state.
The ranking also reflects the impact of ongoing development projects and governance reforms being implemented by the administration, positioning Delta among Nigeria’s leading states in governance performance and service delivery.
According to the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced and Professional Studies, the Governance Performance Index serves as a benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of state governments while promoting accountability, transparency and sustainable development across the federation.
By; Sam Erhunmwunsee, Radio Nigeria Asaba
