Recently updated on September 30th, 2018 at 01:45 pm
Winners have emerged in the 2017 BusinessDay States Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja.
- Fastest Growing State economy award – Kano State
Based on noticeable increase in its IGR, expanding business opportunities and rising confidence among investors across the state.
- Best State in Tourism Award – Osun State
Based on its consistent successes in hosting the annual Osun Osogbo festival.
- The most improved in healthcare development – Ebonyi State
Governor David Umahi’s administration was commended for channeling the resources of the state to build the first virology centre for the entire south eastern region.
- Transparency in Governance award – Jigawa State
The Award Committee based its decision on full disclosure of the contracts awarded, their costs, contractors and the level of performance of each project.
- The most improved state in rural and urban development – Enugu and Edo states
- Best state promoting made in Nigeria goods and SME development award – Abia State
This campaign earned entrepreneurs in Abia state about ₦1 billion in revenue in the last fiscal year. Governor Okezie Ikpeazu was highly commended for promoting made in Nigeria goods.
- The most improved state in ease of doing business – Kaduna State
Since he assumed office, Mallam El Rufai introduced a number of measures that have seen all the government agencies improved remarkably in addressing investors’ concerns and this has led to a number of new investments being injected into the state.
- Agricultural development award – Benue State
- Housing development award – Ogun State
- The most improved states in education development for the southern and northern regions respectively – Imo and Sokoto states
Apart from being the state with the highest enrolments into tertiary institutions in the country, Imo State has maintained the top five positions by WAEC ranking among the states of the federation. On its part, Sokoto State has embarked on massive reforms of the education sector, starting with the highest budgetary allocation to that sector.
- The most improved states in peace and security – Gombe and Plateau states
According to Frank Aigbogun, publisher/CEO BusinessDay:
“As the leading business and financial newspaper in West Africa, our aim is to encourage state governments and public officials generally, to see governance as a serious business, so that our scarce resources can be judiciously used with a view to making Nigeria a better place for all.
