By Theresa Igata

Lagos, Delta and River States have topped the National Competitiveness Report and Sub-National Index Flow which ranked all 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory across four key areas: Human Capital, Infrastructure, Economy and Institutions; while Borno and Gombe states ranked 36th and 37th respectively in the index.

The report launched by The National Competitiveness Council of Nigeria (NCCN) is the first ever National Competitiveness Report and Sub-National Index Flow which presents a significant platform for research and discussion, elevating the national conversation about moving Nigeria away from crippling oil dependency, and embracing a diversified economy with sustainable market-based development, according to the NCCN.

The report also emphasizes the importance of competitiveness at the state level, highlighting local and state governance, and the vital role each state plays in the overall path to job-rich growth, whereas all of the states performed strongly in at least one of the four broad themes and 23 indicators.

The financial capital of Nigeria fared best in the areas of Infrastructure and Economy, while northern states; Borno and Zamfara lost significantly in the area of Human Capital – plagued by issues with healthcare and education.

Speaking at the launch in Lagos, themed: The Pertinence of States in Market Based Growth

The CEO, NCCN, Matthias Chika Mordi said, “In aggregate, Nigeria remains challenged in its competitiveness and we expect the SNI to have a catalytic effect in competitive state policies which will ultimately lead to greater business productivity, resulting in job creation and poverty reduction.”

Mordi added that, the NCCN collected data for its unprecedented report in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics and private surveying agencies. The organization conducted a household survey across all 36 states and the FCT, resulting in a sample of 8,147 households.

“We also conducted a business climate survey, collecting information from two thousand (2000) private business establishments chosen at random, and using probability proportional to size (PPS) within each sector. Out of this number, 1820 businesses responded to the survey, representing a 91 per cent response rate”.

“The index is a culmination of 20 months of intense work. We’ve worked rigorously to ensure objectivity and transparency in our methodology, data collection, analysis and interpretation. Where possible we applied effective tools for cross-validation, and ease of replicability. It is by no means perfect, but we envisage improvements with subsequent iterations of the index”, Mordi said.

The overall objective of the launch event is to introduce the NCCN and its National Report and Sub-National Index to key stakeholders and ultimately the general public. The reveal will serve as the impetus for the conversation surrounding Nigeria’s internal competitiveness, and as a multi-platform forum for the exchange of ideas based on the critical data presented and shared in the new report.