If you spend enough time living and doing business in Lagos, you begin to realize that most other Nigerian states don’t function like Lagos, especially in ways that promote genuine governance, efficiency, and economic growth. Lagos stands alone in Nigeria as a state where government machinery is sufficiently stable, responsive, and structured to inspire confidence.
Lagos operates with a clear institutional framework where ministries function semi-autonomously, commissioners are accountable, and local government chairmen genuinely manage grassroots issues. This decentralized structure is key. The Lagos state government’s vision focuses on making Lagos “Africa’s Model Mega City and Global Economic and Financial Hub,” with policy priorities centered on infrastructure development and poverty eradication. The government also excels in digital governance, topping Nigeria’s 2025 E-Governance Performance Index for transparency, public service delivery, and accessibility.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu epitomizes this governance approach. He openly maintains that government should be accessible to stakeholders without undue hurdles. He remarked in 2024, “I promise to continue to provide leadership that will usher in greater opportunities and a more prosperous life for Lagosians… We are committed to delivering more on good governance.” This openness is rare among Nigerian governors, whose offices often resemble inaccessible fortresses.
But Lagos is only a part of the broader Nigerian governance landscape, and other states are evolving along different trajectories.
Take Anambra State under Governor Charles Soludo, a renowned economist and former Central Bank governor. Since his assumption of office in 2022, Soludo has aggressively pushed digital reforms and technology-led governance. Anambra ranks seventh nationally and tops the South East in ease of doing business. The state’s reform agenda includes digitizing land processes through the Anambra Geographic Information System (ANAMGIS), instituting a robust grievance redress mechanism for investors, expanding fiber infrastructure for future 5G connectivity, and enhancing civic engagement via the “Solution Lens” platform, which enables residents to monitor government projects. Soludo’s reforms have prioritized fiscal discipline too - allocating an unprecedented 77% of the state budget to capital projects and reducing recurrent spending significantly. Roads and infrastructure development are at the core, with over 746 kilometers of modern roads awarded, 462 kilometers completed, and a $750 million World Bank-supported business enabling reforms program underway. Soludo stated, “Reform is a continuous, measurable process anchored on planning, accountability, and technology. Anambra is positioning itself as a modern hub where businesses can invest, scale, and thrive.” His governance philosophy, which his supporters call “The Soludo Magic,” is a textbook case of transformational leadership aimed at sustainable economic growth and transparency.
In Akwa Ibom State, Governor Umo Eno has focused on accountability and inclusivity. His tenure has seen major civil service reforms utilizing private-sector management principles, personnel verification exercises to reduce payroll fraud, and investments in education and health infrastructure across local governments. Eno emphasizes the collective responsibility of government and citizens, stating, “We all have a responsibility to Akwa Ibom State,” reinforcing that governance is a shared duty. His reforms have also prioritized digital transformation, though still progressing toward full maturity.
Moving to Abia State, Governor Alex Otti’s administration centers on economic revival through agriculture modernization, education reform, and healthcare improvement. Otti champions a 30-year development blueprint combining immediate impact projects with long-term visioning to buffer the state against economic shocks. Otti’s focus is on transforming Abia into a beacon of equity and sustainable progress, but ministries still face challenges of autonomy and bureaucratic inertia common in many states.
Despite these individual successes, the majority of Nigerian states struggle with highly centralized governance that resembles a family enterprise. Power is often concentrated in the governor’s office, with ministries and local governments lacking real autonomy. Projects and contracts frequently end up in the hands of governors’ relatives or close associates. This results in stalled ministries, overburdened executives, and a lack of transparency that frustrates both entrepreneurs and ordinary citizens.
For example, while someone might try to launch a youth empowerment program in their home state, the complex web of political interference and bureaucratic inefficiency often drives them back to Lagos. One acquaintance quipped about his experience, “I can’t go and kpai myself,” capturing the crushing systemic frustrations outside Lagos.
Given this reality, Lagos remains the most reliable and business-friendly state in Nigeria. I would rather build 100 factories in Lagos than dream of relocating to states where governance structures impede growth. Despite media noise promoting supposedly emerging states, Lagos’s functional governance sets the gold standard.
To the collective leadership of Nigeria’s states—especially Governors Charles Soludo (Anambra), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom), Alex Otti (Abia), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Babagana Zulum (Borno), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) - the urgent call is clear: move decisively away from the centralized, personality-driven model. Decentralize authority to ministries and local governments, digitally transform public services, institutionalize fiscal discipline and transparency, and make governance genuinely citizen- and business-friendly.
Lagos provides a strategic blueprint. While not without flaws, it demonstrates that functional, accountable governance is achievable across Nigeria.
The future prosperity of Nigerian states will depend on their willingness and political will to build strong, autonomous institutions and adopt governance systems rooted in inclusivity, efficiency, and transparency. This reform is not optional - it is essential.