The Anambra State government has vehemently refuted the 2025 State Performance Index rating conducted by Philips Consulting Limited (PCL), dismissing the report’s findings as misleading and based on flawed methodology, inadequate sampling, and biased conclusions. The report, which ranked Anambra as one of the worst and most underperforming states in Nigeria, sparked a strong reaction from the state government, which questioned PCL’s competence and expertise in conducting such assessments. The state’s Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Chiamaka Nnake, argued that PCL, traditionally known for human resource services, lacks the necessary experience and methodological rigor to accurately evaluate state performance.
Nnake criticized PCL’s methodology, pointing out several critical flaws that undermine the credibility of the report. The sample size of 78 respondents for a state with a population exceeding 6 million was deemed statistically insignificant, falling far short of the minimum number required for a reliable survey. This small sample size, coupled with a gender bias, with 76% of respondents being male, further skews the data and fails to represent the diverse demographics of Anambra’s population. The Commissioner emphasized that a credible survey must proportionally represent age, gender, income, and employment status, drawn from census or reliable population data, which PCL’s methodology failed to achieve.
The state government also challenged PCL’s overreliance on expenditure figures without adequately measuring the outcomes and impact of such spending. Nnake argued that simply focusing on the amount spent without considering its effectiveness and value for money provides a distorted view of state performance. She pointed to Anambra’s significant investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, highlighting tangible achievements that contradict PCL’s negative assessment. The lack of ground engagement by PCL was another major point of contention. The state government criticized the consulting firm for failing to engage with stakeholders, visit communities, or conduct direct validation of outcomes in Anambra. Instead, PCL relied on inferences drawn without proper context or first-hand observation, leading to a disconnect between the report’s findings and the reality on the ground.
Contrasting PCL’s dismal ranking with assessments conducted by reputable international organizations, Nnake highlighted Anambra’s achievements across various sectors. In education, Anambra boasts the lowest out-of-school rate in Nigeria, with significant increases in student enrollment following the implementation of free education from nursery to junior secondary school. The state’s recruitment of over 8,000 teachers and investment in educational infrastructure further underscore its commitment to improving the education sector. These accomplishments stand in stark contrast to PCL’s evaluation.
In healthcare, Anambra was ranked number one in the South-East and number one in Nigeria by the National Primary Healthcare Leadership Challenge Awards, an assessment conducted by UNICEF, the Dangote Group, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, and the Gates Foundation, among others. This recognition, coupled with the state’s revolutionary free antenatal and delivery policy, which has benefited over 120,000 women, and substantial investments in general hospitals and tertiary services, demonstrates Anambra’s commitment to improving healthcare outcomes. These achievements directly contradict PCL’s ranking of Anambra at 30th in health.
Furthermore, Anambra’s significant infrastructure development, with the award and completion of hundreds of kilometers of roads, including bridges and flyovers, has been recognized through multiple awards. Despite this tangible progress, PCL’s methodology downplayed these accomplishments, further highlighting the disconnect between the report’s findings and the reality on the ground. The Commissioner stressed that PCL’s reliance on flawed methodology, weak sampling, and biased inferences has resulted in a misleading report that risks damaging the firm’s professional reputation. The discrepancy between PCL’s negative ranking and the positive assessments by reputable international organizations raises serious concerns about the credibility of the report.
The Anambra State government concluded its rebuttal by emphasizing the importance of robust statistical methods, field engagement, and impartial analysis in conducting performance rankings. Nnake argued that PCL’s approach, which seemingly relied on perceptions gathered remotely without proper validation, falls short of the necessary rigor and amounts to mere propaganda. The state government’s strong response to the PCL report underscores its commitment to transparency and accountability, and its determination to challenge any assessment that it deems unfair and inaccurate. The clash between the state government and PCL highlights the importance of rigorous and transparent methodologies in evaluating state performance and the need for a more nuanced approach that considers both expenditure and tangible outcomes.
