Ebonyi, Sokoto best IGR performing states, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Osun worst

By Ishaya Ibrahim

Ebonyi State is ranked first among the 36 states in Nigeria on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), according to data released by Abuja based National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

It is followed by Sokoto State, which also made significant improvement in percentage terms on IGR, while Bauchi, Akwa Ibom and Osun States finished at the bottom rung.

The NBS data covered the period between 2016 and 2017, showing the trajectory of growth for some of the states, and the trajectory of decline for the other states.

IGR is states’ locally collected income through taxation, licenses and permits. Its growth offers insight on how well a state’s economy is managed.

In absolute terms, Lagos has the largest annual IGR, followed by Rivers and Ogun States.

In 2016, the annual IGR of Lagos State was N302 billion. In 2017, it increased to N334 billion, accounting for 36 per cent of all states’ IGR. But in percentage terms, it only grew by 10 per cent.

Rivers IGR increased by 4.9 per cent while Ogun’s made a marginal growth of 2.5 per cent.

The IGR of Ebonyi and Sokoto States grew by significant proportion, ranking as the two states that made the most progress in 2017.

In 2016, the annual IGR of Ebonyi State was N2.3 billion. In 2017, it jumped to N5.1 billion, increasing by 117 per cent.

Sokoto surprised observers. The mainly agrarian economy made a 98 per cent progress in its IGR collection for 2017.

In 2016, its annual IGR was N4.545 billion. In 2017, it almost doubled, collecting N9.01 billion.

For the worst category states, Bauchi leads the pack, decreasing by -50 per cent. In 2016, its annual IGR was N8.7 billion. In 2017, it shrank to N4.4 billion.

Akwa Ibom followed closely. Its IGR decreased by -31 per cent in 2017. The state raked a total of N23 billion in 2016. The amount reduced to N16 billion in 2017.

The third worst performing state in IGR collection is Osun. Its collection fell by -26 per