BORNO STATE, pSPI REPORT 2025
Home of Peace
Overall pSPI Rank:
36th out of 36 states & the FCT
pSPI Ranking:
(Satisfactory 2-Star Performer)
People & Culture
A Land of Unity and Resilience
Borno State, known as the “Home of Peace,” has a population exceeding 6 million with a landmass of 70,898 sq km across 27 LGAs, the state is home to multiple ethnic groups, deeply influenced by Kanuri traditions and Islamic practices. Its distinctive cuisine, featuring meals like Tuwo (millet porridge) and Fura da Nono (a millet and milk-based snack), reflects the region’s agricultural roots. Traditional music and dance play a vital role in community celebrations, with instruments like the Goge and Kontigi adding rhythm to festivals and social gatherings.Â
The state’s diverse ethnic composition includes Shuwa Arabs, Fulani, Hausa, Marghi, and Babur, with Kanuri, Hausa, and Arabic being the predominant languages. Despite facing conflict-related challenges, the people of Borno have demonstrated remarkable resilience, continuously working to rebuild their communities while preserving their rich cultural identity.
Politics
Evolving Leadership and Transitions
Borno State is a political outlier, where governance is deeply intertwined with security challenges. Unlike most states where electoral debates revolve around economy and development, Borno’s politics is defined by the fight against insurgency.
Since 1999, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) (which later merged into APC) has dominated, producing governors like Ali Modu Sheriff, Kashim Shettima, and Babagana Zulum. APC’s continued dominance is tied to Zulum’s no-nonsense approach to governance, which has earned him national acclaim.
However, beneath this dominance, opposition forces struggle for relevance in a system that rewards continuity over change. With the state still battling Boko Haram insurgency, Borno’s political future remains tightly linked to security successes, making APC the default party of power until a new political shift occurs.
Borno’s economy relies heavily on agriculture, with crops like millet, maize, and groundnuts playing a vital role in local livelihoods. However, persistent security challenges from insurgency, coupled with inadequate infrastructure, have severely disrupted farming activities, trade, and investment. The recent flood further constrains economic growth. Despite these challenges, efforts to restore stability and improve infrastructure could unlock the state’s agricultural potential and support broader economic recovery.
Key Economic Indicators (pSPI 2025)
| Metric | Value | National Rank |
|---|---|---|
| IGR Per Capita | ₦2,771 |  28th |
| IGR Per km² | ₦300,645 | 33rd |
| IGR To FAAC | 21% | 29th |
| Capital Expenditure Per Capita | ₦27,089 | 25th |
| IGR to Total Revenue | 13% | 22nd |
| Debt Per Capita | ₦11,895 | 4th |
| Ease of Doing Business | 5.53 | 22nd |
What this means:
Borno State demonstrates fiscal discipline with one of the lowest debt per capita levels in Nigeria, ensuring a manageable financial burden. Its trade sector also shows promise, ranking 17th in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) per trade route, highlighting economic opportunities along key commercial corridors. However, the state struggles with low IGR per capita, indicating a heavy reliance on federal allocations (FAAC) rather than self-sustained revenue
Economy – Mineral Wealth with Room for Diversion
pSPI Performance - Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
4th in Debt Per Capita: Low financial burden.
8th in Public Transport Efficiency: Good connectivity despite security challenges.
11th in Public Health Workers Per Population: Reasonable healthcare staffing.
Weaknesses
36th in Public Hospitals Per Population: Critical healthcare shortage.
35th in Public Teachers Per Population: Severe teacher deficit.
30th in Assets Per Mineral Resources: Underutilised natural wealth.
Citizen Satisfaction - Public Opinion
What residents think about Key services:
| Service Area | Rank | % Satisfied |
|---|---|---|
| Quality of Roads | 21st | 48% |
| Honesty of Public Servants | 19th | 35% |
| Security of Lives and Property | 23rd | 38% |
| Quality of Public Primary and Secondary Education | 20th | 39% |
| Affordability of Public Primary and Secondary Education | 29th | 52% |
| Quality of Public Hospitals | 15th | 45% |
| Affordability of Public Hospitals | 18th | 45% |
| Gaining Meaningful Employment | 23rd | 23% |
| Awareness of Government Policy and Programmes | 33rd | 28% |
| Government Support for Local Businesses | 21st | 32% |
| Available, Effective, and Safe Public Transportation | 7th | 51% |
| Availability of Clean Water Supply | 11th | 42% |
| Cleanliness of the Environment | 15th | 49% |
| Buying, Registering, and Owning Landed Property | 28th | 37% |
| Availability of Legal Economic Opportunities | 34th | 22% |
| Attitude of State-Controlled Law Enforcement Agents | 24th | 32% |
Relocation Trends & Insights
Top Preferred Relocation States & Possible Reasons
Gombe State
Closer to home, stable economy
Kano State
Better economic opportunities
FCT Abuja
Government jobs, better infrastructure
Kaduna State
Growing economy and better opportunities
Adamawa State
Culture and ethnic similarities
Least Preferred States & Reasons
Borno State
Security concerns
Yobe State
Lack of opportunities
Lagos State
Overpopulation & cost of living
Kano State
Political instability and overpopulation
Bauchi State
Low job opportunities and infrastructure
Local Government & Grassroot Governance
Key survey insights from the PSPI survey indicate
do not know their LGA chairman
unaware of projects at the LGA level
unaware of socioeconomic programmes
The local government system needs better transparency and citizen engagement.
Survey Respondent Overview
Gender
Age Distribution
Employment
Top LGAs Represented
Maiduguri Metropolitan (28), Jere (19), Hawul (13), Biu (10) Askira-Uba (7).
Citizens’ Recommendations - What the People Want
336 survey respondents comprising both residents and indigenous people highlighted the following key demands
- Create Jobs and Boost Livelihoods: A recurring theme was the need for employment and economic revival. Citizens asked for entrepreneurship support, grants for youth, vocational training, and access to farmland and tools for farming communities.
- Improve Service Delivery in Education and Health: While education and healthcare are relatively affordable, their quality has been questioned. Citizens want more qualified staff, stocked clinics, and teacher accountability, especially in conflict-affected and IDP areas.
- Fix Trust in Government and Law Enforcement: Residents stressed the need for more honest public servants and friendlier law enforcement. Suggestions include anti-corruption monitoring, police retraining, and more inclusive, transparent budgeting.
- Boost Access to Water and Environmental Cleanliness: Citizens requested better water supply and improved waste disposal systems, especially for returnees and displaced populations.
- Strengthen Community Engagement: Several comments focused on poor awareness of government programmes. Citizens suggested policy briefings, community meetings, and the use of local language to ensure inclusivity.
pSPI Recommendations - What Borno State Needs To Do
Based on the pSPI data and citizen feedback, Borno urgently needs to:
- Enhance Economic Opportunities and Employment: The government should prioritise job creation through targeted investments in agriculture, skills acquisition, and rebuilding value chains disrupted by conflict.
- Improve Government Communication and Trust: Borno ranks low in publicity of government programmes and moderate in public perception of law enforcement. The government should increase transparency and citizen engagement via town halls, radio outreach, and local influencers to rebuild public confidence in governance.
- Expand Affordable Education and Healthcare: The state should focus on improving service delivery in rural LGAs, hire and train more teachers and healthcare workers, and invest in mobile clinics and school feeding programmes.
- Leverage Strength in Public Transportation Access:. The government can build on this by expanding last-mile connectivity, enhancing transport safety measures, and integrating informal transport operators into urban mobility plans.
- Rebuild Infrastructure with Citizen-Centric Priorities: With a mid-tier 21st rank in road infrastructure, investments should be scaled up across more LGAs. Focus should be on rural roads, markets, and road safety infrastructure that support mobility and trade.
Borno State 2025
is rebuilding, but major challenges remain in education, security, and economic opportunities.
Investment
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