Education Affordability
The Nation's Quiet Success Story
Why it matters. Education affordability is one of the few parameters where citizen scores have improved consistently since 2018. The states leading the index have combined fee abolition with supply-side investment — a replicable model.
National best (Sokoto)
4.43
2nd: Adamawa
Lowest: Imo
2.80
3rd: Kebbi
National median
3.52
Is better
States scored
31
States unscored
Leading States
Trailing States
The story in the numbers
Education affordability has improved nationally — but the distribution is uneven. Northern states dominate the top of the ranking, driven by federal school programmes. The report examines whether the gains are durable.
Inside the full report
Five parts. The whole federation.
The National Ranking
The complete ranking of every state on education affordability, with citizen scores and sample sizes.
Three-Year Trends
How the picture moved across 2024–2026, and the zones improving fastest — and slipping.
The Regional Picture
Where the parameter is strongest and weakest by geopolitical zone, and what explains the pattern.
The Leaders' Playbook
The state initiatives behind the strongest results — verifiable, specific, and adaptable.
What to Do Next
What the evidence means for governments, partners and investors — anchored in global best practice.
A taste of the findings
"Sokoto's score reflects the universal basic education programme that abolished levies in 2021 — a direct policy cause the report documents in full."
The playbook is replicable with modest budget commitment.
Where the work remains
Secondary and tertiary affordability lags primary.
States with high primary scores often show a cliff at secondary level — the report identifies where the drop-off is steepest and what it costs investors in skills supply.
Read the full parameter report