Ekiti State Leads 2025 Audit Index; Abia, Rivers Lag

The 2025 Audit Index, unveiled in Abuja by the Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI), ranks Ekiti State as the top performer in public financial management with a score of 72%. Following Ekiti are Gombe and Yobe States, which scored 68%.

In contrast, Abia and Rivers States occupy the last position, sharing a score of just 9%. Olusegun Elemo, the Executive Director of PLSI, noted that this index introduced a modified methodology that incorporates public audit functions at the local government level for the first time in six years.

The assessment drew data from various sources, including audit institutions and civil society organizations. The report indicates a modest recovery in fiscal transparency, with a national average increase to 34.5%.

However, significant gaps remain, as 18 states failed to publish audit reports for the 2024 financial year, and only 12 states granted financial autonomy to their audit institutions. The report calls for deeper reforms to enhance financial autonomy and improve public audit services.