Kano State ranks first in African subnational education spending

Kano State has been ranked as the leading subnational government in education spending among 209 governments in the 2026 African Subnational Survey Report. The study, conducted by the University of Paris, also placed Kano second in climate governance and identified it as the best-performing subnational government in the Sahel region.

The findings were presented at City University, Paris, where the state received awards for its performance in education financing and climate governance. The recognition follows Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s policy of allocating 30 per cent of the state’s annual budget to the education sector.

Representatives from UNESCO and Nigeria’s Ministry of Education commended the administration’s reforms. The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, accepted the awards on behalf of the Governor, highlighting the administration's recent interventions in the education sector.