Kano Ranks No. 1 in West Africa for Education Spending
Kano State has emerged as the highest-ranked sub-national government in West Africa for education spending, according to the latest Sub-National Education Spending Index developed by the University of Paris.
The report assessed 209 first-level sub-national governments across the 15 member states of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), with Kano securing the top position with an S-WAESI score of 87.21.
The ranking reflects Kano State’s strong investment in education, particularly following the declaration of a state of emergency on education. The government has consistently allocated a significant share of its annual budget to the sector, funding school construction and rehabilitation, teacher recruitment, learning materials, and expanded access to quality education.
The assessment measured government commitment using indicators such as actual education spending, spending per student, budget execution, education priority, transparency, and evidence-based reporting.
Kano outperformed other top-performing regions across West Africa, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State was the second-highest ranked Nigerian state, placing 16th overall.
Education stakeholders say the recognition validates Kano’s sustained investment in education and reinforces the importance of prioritising funding to improve learning outcomes and human capital development.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.