Abia state has emerged as the state with the highest Capital Expenditure Per Capita in Nigeria, spending an average of N137,253 per resident in the state.
The southeastern state topped the index released by the Cable Index, with Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, and Anambra following closely with N72,928, N66,455, and N59,117 spent per resident, respectively.
The development marked the second economic index that Abia state is ranking highly, after the state was ranked fourth on the National Fiscal Performance Ranking. The positive numbers highlight the progress made by the Alex Otti economic team, as well as the efficiency of the policies and initiatives of the adminstration.
Southeastern states performed relatively well on the index, with Abia state topping the list, Anambra coming in at the fourth position, and Ebonyi at the 11th position, with N46,575 per resident.
Enugu finished 14th on the list, spending N34,826 per resident, while Imo state came in 16th, spending N31,599. Lagos State, the richest state in Nigeria by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) finished a distant 24th, spending a paltry N21,040 per resident.
Capital Expenditure Per Capita measures a government’s annual investment in long-term infrastructure and assets. Infrastructure projects measured in Capital Expenditure per Capita include roads, schools, hospitals, and power plants. The figure is divided by the total population of the state or country.
Capital Expenditure per capita reflects how much each citizen receives in public capital spending, serving as a key indicator of development priority and fiscal health. For example, if a state budgets ₦100 billion for capital projects and has 5 million residents, the figure is ₦20,000 per person.
A High figure of this Index signals aggressive growth focus, while a low one suggests maintenance neglect or revenue constraints. Analysts use it to compare states or nations, though it excludes debt servicing and recurrent costs. In Nigeria, it’s critical for assessing FAAC allocation efficiency and SDG progress.
