Kogi ranks third in revenue performance as Ododo advances financial reforms

Kogi State has ranked third among 35 states on Pillar A—Revenue Performance—in BudgIT’s 2026 State of States report, scoring 60.86.

The ranking places Kogi behind Lagos and Bauchi and ahead of Imo. It recognizes states’ capacity to mobilise and grow revenue internally, based on fiscal performance in 2025.

The result reflects the steady strengthening of Kogi’s revenue base. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics puts the state’s internally generated revenue at approximately ₦43.94 billion in 2025, compared with about ₦27.73 billion in 2024. Over the past decade, Kogi’s revenue service reports that annual IGR has risen from roughly ₦600 million to ₦43.9 billion.

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The progress has been supported by a sustained reform drive under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. His administration has prioritised stronger revenue administration, technology to improve collection and limit leakages, a broader and fairer tax base, and better-equipped revenue institutions. The governor has emphasised that revenue growth must strengthen the state’s capacity to meet its obligations without imposing unnecessary burdens on residents and businesses.

The reform programme has also been given a stronger legal foundation. In January 2026, Governor Ododo signed the Kogi State Internal Revenue Service (Establishment) Law and the Kogi State Taxes and Levies (Approved List for Collection) Law. The laws are intended to promote more transparent and harmonised tax administration, with digital systems and simpler processes for taxpayers.

Commenting on the achievement, the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Asiwaju Asiru Idris, FCA, said:

“This ranking is an encouraging recognition of the reforms taking place in Kogi State. Under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, we are strengthening the way the state identifies, collects and manages its revenue. Our focus is on improving efficiency, reducing leakages, widening the revenue base fairly and using technology to make the system more transparent.

“We are particularly mindful that revenue reform must not become an undue burden on our people or on businesses. The goal is to build a fair and reliable system that gives government more capacity to deliver services and invest in development. I commend the Governor for his commitment to reforming the financial engineering of the state, and I appreciate the work of our revenue agencies, taxpayers and businesses whose contributions are helping Kogi move forward.”

Kogi’s third-place result is for the Revenue Performance pillar; it is not the state’s overall fiscal ranking. Still, it is a notable achievement and a sign that the state’s efforts to improve domestic revenue mobilisation are gaining recognition. The task now is to sustain the reforms and ensure that stronger public revenue supports better services and opportunities for the people of Kogi State.