It is not uncommon every year for all and sundry to carry out governance rankings, generate headlines, shape public opinion, and create ammunition in political debates. The Phillips Consulting 2026 State Performance Momentum Index is the latest example. While it has attracted widespread attention, its assessment of Edo State has been misconstrued and very dangerously, too.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo assumed office on November 12, 2024. By the time Phillips Consulting compiled its Momentum Index, his administration had been in office for barely seven months. That is hardly enough time for any government to reverse inherited challenges, execute major projects, and produce measurable outcomes across critical sectors. This is the first sign that it was not about the present government in Benin City.
Of truth, governance is a process and not necessarily an event. Budgets must be passed, contracts awarded, projects mobilised, and policies implemented before citizens begin to experience their impact. Inevitably measuring a government so early in its life cycle captures more of what it inherited than what it has created.
It is clear that the report says more about the administration of former Governor Godwin Obaseki than it does about Governor Okpebholo. If Edo was underperforming on key governance indicators when the data was collected, those conditions were largely shaped by the policies and outcomes of the previous eight years before Governor Okpebholo’s entrance In that sense, the report unintentionally reinforces the central argument advanced by the current administration since taking office—that it inherited significant fiscal, institutional, and governance challenges requiring time to address.
Even Phillips Consulting makes an important distinction by describing its exercise as a Momentum Index rather than an assessment of absolute performance. That distinction is germain. A state recovering from a faulty base may record rapid movement within a short period, while another embarking on deeper structural reforms may appear to move more slowly because meaningful reforms naturally take longer to produce measurable results.
It is on this score that the information about Edo must be evaluated as much of the data reflects conditions inherited from the previous administration rather than the policies of the current government. Judging a new administration almost entirely on historical indicators risks creating a misleading narrative.
What of the methodology? The index combines indicators such as citizen satisfaction, internally generated revenue, fiscal self-reliance, debt per capita, and transparency into a single composite score. While such indices are common, they often compress complex governance realities into one number, making it difficult to appreciate the unique circumstances facing individual states.
The index has other defects. Information in the public domain also points to significant differences in survey sample sizes. Lagos reportedly had more than 12,000 respondents, while some states had fewer than 100 and others fewer than 200. Such disparities affect statistical reliability. Smaller samples carry larger margins of error, making broad comparisons less dependable. That does invalidate the report and also suggests its conclusions should be interpreted with caution rather than being treated as definitive.
What of the reality on the ground? Since taking office, Governor Okpebholo has launched an ambitious infrastructure program across Edo State. Road construction and rehabilitation are ongoing in the three senatorial districts. Drainage projects are being expanded to tackle flooding, while erosion control works continue in vulnerable communities. The Ramat Park Flyover, the first of its kind in Benin City, has become a visible symbol of the administration’s drive to modernise the state’s infrastructure.
These projects are tangible investments in economic growth and improved living standards. Yet infrastructure development is inherently long-term. Roads still under construction can not immediately translate into governance scores until they are completed and their economic benefits become measurable.
Education is another sector where the administration is investing for the future and has received accolades. Through the Senator Monday Okpebholo Education Talent Hunt Competition, outstanding students have received scholarships to state-owned tertiary institutions. It is an investment in human capital whose full benefits will emerge over several years, not within the narrow timeline captured by the Momentum Index.
Healthcare reforms are also underway. The government has prioritised the revitalisation of primary healthcare centers to improve access to affordable medical services, particularly in underserved communities. Better healthcare outcomes take time, but the foundations are being laid through investments that are expected to strengthen the system over the long term.
Security has received similar attention. The administration has reduced bloodbath arising from violent cult clashes and established a Special Criminal Court to accelerate the prosecution of cultism and kidnapping cases while strengthening security operations across the state. Restoring public confidence and creating a safer environment for businesses and residents can not be measured within a few months, yet these reforms are critical to sustainable development.
Governor Monday Okpebholo is equally pursuing digital governance reforms by improving public service delivery, expanding electronic government platforms, and strengthening digital capacity within the civil service. These initiatives are designed to improve transparency, revenue generation, and administrative efficiency—the same indicators future governance assessments are likely to reward once the reforms become fully operational.
This is why reducing Edo’s performance to a single momentum score does not tell any part of the story. Independent assessments remain valuable because they encourage accountability and challenge governments to improve. However, accountability must also be fair. Reports should recognise political transitions, inherited conditions, and the time required for reforms to produce measurable outcomes. Without that context, statistics risk creating impressions that are incomplete or even misleading.
It was on this basis that Edo State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, rejected the Phillips Consulting report, describing it as “reckless and misleading” He argued that the assessment overlooked ongoing infrastructure projects, educational reforms, healthcare improvements, and institutional changes already underway across the state. He also maintained that much of the data reflected the fiscal realities inherited from the previous administration rather than the direction of the current government.
His point is: Can a government that has spent barely seven months in office fairly be judged on indicators largely shaped by eight years of its predecessor? Ultimately, governments are remembered less for annual rankings than for enduring achievements. Roads, schools, hospitals, stronger institutions, and improved public services leave a more lasting legacy than league tables published once a year.
In that context, the Phillips Consulting report may have achieved the opposite of what many assumed. Rather than serving as a convincing assessment of Governor Okpebholo’s administration, it stands as a testimonial to the shortcomings of the Godwin Obaseki government. Since most of the indicators predated the current administration, the findings largely reflect the condition of Edo State at the point of transition. That has been the consistent position of Governor Okpebholo and his officials—that they inherited deep-rooted governance and fiscal challenges that could not be resolved within a few months.
The report can not be mistaken for the final verdict on Edo State’s future. The state is still writing a new chapter. When today’s infrastructure projects are completed, institutional reforms take root, and investments in education, healthcare, and security begin to yield measurable results. Future assessments may tell a very different and credible story.
____________________________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ebojele, PhD. in public administration, is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State.
