The Centre for Governance Research (CGR), a New York-based analysis assume tank, has rated the administration of President Bola Tinubu as “failing”, awarding it a rating of 28.5 per cent in its September 2026 Governance Report.
The report, which assesses governance on the federal and state ranges in Nigeria, attributed the low score to considerations over public debt, finances implementation, safety, money transfers and the President’s extended absence from the nation.
According to the report, not one of the 9 indicators used to evaluate the Federal Government scored above 3.5 out of 10.
Security, primary wants, governance and public sentiment every scored 2.5, whereas infrastructure recorded the very best rating of three.5.
The report additionally assessed the efficiency of state governments, with Imo, Ondo, Benue, Rivers, Taraba and Sokoto among the many states mentioned to not have carried out nicely.
Responding to the findings, Dr Catherine Whitmore, the organisation’s Head of Communication and Press Coordinator, described the report as an vital milestone in efforts to research the causes and results of poor governance in Africa’s most populous nation.
She mentioned the evaluation represented a scientific {and professional} effort to look at governance by evidence-based analysis.
The report recognized rising public debt as one of many elements weighing on the Federal Government’s efficiency, stating that Nigeria’s complete public debt reached N166.79 trillion as of June 30, 2026, a rise of N7.44 trillion in three months.
On finances implementation, it said that Tinubu signed a fourth extension of the 2025 capital finances on September 30, shifting its implementation deadline to December 31, 2026.
It additionally cited data from earlier finances defence classes indicating that N9.13 billion had been launched in opposition to N1.218 trillion appropriated throughout eight ministries, representing about 1.3 per cent of the quantity.
The report additional questioned the transparency surrounding the President’s absence from Nigeria, stating that he left the nation on August 30 and arrived in Lagos on September 29. It added that his return date had been shifted twice and that no well being data have been revealed.
On social intervention programmes, the evaluation cited an Auditor-General’s question regarding N33.75 billion in money transfers made in 2023, stating that the data didn’t set up whether or not the cash reached real beneficiaries. The report famous that the company disputed the question.
Security considerations additionally featured within the evaluation. According to the report, the Presidency put the variety of deaths in custody at a detention centre in Minna at 37, whereas a information company filmed 33 our bodies at a hospital.
It added that not less than 87 individuals, principally girls, have been reported lacking following two weekend assaults in Niger and Zamfara states.
Despite the low total score, the report acknowledged some constructive financial developments through the interval underneath evaluation.
These included a decline in inflation to 14.63 per cent, an enchancment within the naira’s worth, international reserves rising above $54 billion, a discount within the financial coverage charge and wage will increase of between 30 and 80 per cent for navy personnel.
However, the report concluded that these beneficial properties have been inadequate to offset the opposite considerations recognized in its evaluation.
The CGR mentioned its Governance Report evaluates the Federal Government, the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory month-to-month utilizing 9 indicators: the economic system and public funds, safety, transparency, primary wants, healthcare, training, infrastructure, governance and public sentiment.
It mentioned the symptoms have been assigned fastened weights earlier than every evaluation and utilized uniformly throughout all governments.
According to the organisation, solely occasions occurring throughout the month underneath evaluation are thought of, whereas claims are assessed in opposition to obtainable proof. Government claims of success are handled as claims till independently verified, and disagreements between sources are documented.
The report added that another calculation assigning equal weights to all 9 indicators produced a rating of 28.3, which it mentioned confirmed that the general end result was not depending on the weighting system.
The organisation mentioned the proof supporting its findings was linked to named sources and publication dates, including that journalists might request entry to the scores and supporting supplies.
The full report and methodology can be found on the organisation’s web site, governanceresearch.org.
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