Kano Ranks Highest in West Africa on Education Spending Index

Kano State has emerged as the highest-ranked sub-national government in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on education spending, according to the latest Sub-National Weighted Aggregate Education Spending Index (S-WAESI) developed by the University of Paris. The ranking placed Kano first among 209 first-level sub-national governments across the 15 ECOWAS member states.

According to the report, Kano recorded an overall score of 87.21, outperforming other leading regions, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal, while Lagos State ranked 16th overall. The assessment measured government commitment to education using indicators such as actual education expenditure, spending per student, budget execution, education priority and transparency.

The report attributed Kano’s top position to its strong performance in actual education spending and budget execution, noting that the state’s sustained investment has strengthened its reputation as a leader in education financing and reform in West Africa.

The Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) described the recognition as a reflection of the state government’s commitment to expanding access to education, improving school infrastructure and strengthening planning and budget implementation across the sector.

The latest ranking is expected to boost Kano’s profile as a regional leader in education and provide further momentum for ongoing reforms aimed at improving learning outcomes. Education experts have also identified transparent budgeting, efficient resource utilisation and sustained public investment as key drivers of quality education across ECOWAS member states.