NigeriaPolls · Index
Education Quality Index
Measuring literacy, enrollment, teacher ratios and learning outcomes across all 36 states and FCT. Compare rankings and track progress toward universal quality education in Nigeria.
National Score
44.6
Net Enrollment Rate
64.2%
Primary school (ages 6-11)
↑ 1.2% YoYPupil-Teacher Ratio
36:1
National average
↑ 2:1 vs idealSchool Density
2.8
Schools per 10,000 people
→ Flat YoYState Rankings
Education Quality by State
Complete ranking of all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory based on composite education quality scores. Click any state to view detailed education profiles and historical trends.
| Rank | State | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | FCT Abuja | 62.1 |
| 2 | Lagos | 58.4 |
| 3 | Oyo | 55.2 |
| 4 | Osun | 54.8 |
| 5 | Ekiti | 53.1 |
| 6 | Ogun | 52.7 |
| 7 | Anambra | 51.9 |
| 8 | Rivers | 51.2 |
| 9 | Delta | 50.8 |
| 10 | Akwa Ibom | 50.1 |
| 11 | Enugu | 49.5 |
| 12 | Cross River | 48.9 |
| 13 | Imo | 48.3 |
| 14 | Kwara | 47.7 |
| 15 | Ondo | 47.2 |
| 16 | Abia | 46.8 |
| 17 | Bayelsa | 46.1 |
| 18 | Edo | 45.7 |
| 19 | Kogi | 45.2 |
| 20 | Plateau | 44.6 |
| 21 | Nasarawa | 43.8 |
| 22 | Benue | 43.2 |
| 23 | Taraba | 42.5 |
| 24 | Ebonyi | 41.8 |
| 25 | Niger | 41.2 |
| 26 | Adamawa | 40.5 |
| 27 | Kaduna | 39.8 |
| 28 | Kano | 39.1 |
| 29 | Katsina | 38.4 |
| 30 | Jigawa | 37.6 |
| 31 | Bauchi | 36.9 |
| 32 | Gombe | 36.2 |
| 33 | Kebbi | 32.5 |
| 34 | Sokoto | 31.2 |
| 35 | Borno | 30.4 |
| 36 | Yobe | 29.1 |
| 37 | Zamfara | 28.3 |
Top 5 States
Bottom 5 States
Data Insight
Literacy Rate vs Education Quality
Adult literacy rate is one of the strongest predictors of education quality scores. This section explores how literacy correlates with overall education outcomes and what it means for policy makers targeting improvement.
Correlation by State Group
FCT, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Anambra
Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Cross River, Imo, Kwara, Ondo, Abia, Bayelsa, Edo, Kogi
Plateau, Nasarawa, Benue, Taraba, Ebonyi, Niger, Adamawa
Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kebbi, Sokoto, Borno, Yobe, Zamfara
Key Findings
Strong positive correlation: States with adult literacy rates above 70% consistently score above 50 on the Education Quality Index. This relationship holds across urban and rural states, suggesting literacy is a fundamental enabler of broader educational improvement.
Gender gap matters: States with narrower male-female literacy gaps tend to have higher overall education quality scores. FCT and Lagos, where the gap is below 8 percentage points, outperform states like Zamfara and Sokoto where the gap exceeds 25 percentage points.
Youth literacy leads: Youth literacy rates (ages 15-24) are typically 10-15 points higher than adult literacy in most states, indicating that recent school expansion efforts are yielding results. However, the national youth literacy rate of 72% still falls short of the 90% target in the National Education Policy.
Policy implication: Adult literacy programs and non-formal education initiatives should be prioritized alongside primary school expansion. States that invest in both foundational schooling and adult education see faster overall index improvement.
Trend Analysis
12-Month National Trend
The national Education Quality Index has remained relatively flat over the past 12 months, fluctuating between 43.8 and 44.6. This stability masks significant regional variation, with Southern states showing modest gains while Northern states face headwinds from population growth and security challenges.
Southern Zone
+1.2
Average improvement over 12 months
Northern Zone
-0.4
Average decline over 12 months
FCT & Central
+0.8
Average improvement over 12 months
Methodology
How We Calculate the Education Quality Index
The Education Quality Index is a composite metric designed to provide an objective, comparable measure of educational outcomes across Nigeria's states. Our methodology combines multiple data sources and normalizes indicators to a 0-100 scale.
Data Sources
- ●National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) — Annual School Census
- ●Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) — Enrollment and infrastructure data
- ●WAEC & NECO — Senior Secondary Certificate Examination results
- ●National Population Commission — Population estimates and literacy surveys
- ●Independent school surveys — Pupil-teacher ratios and facility assessments
Component Weights
Scoring Method
Each component is normalized to a 0-100 scale using min-max normalization against Nigerian benchmarks. The composite score is a weighted average of the five components. States are ranked monthly based on the latest available data. Data updates occur quarterly, with the index published within two weeks of data receipt. Full methodological documentation is available on our methodology page.
Public Opinion
Latest Education Polls
See what Nigerians think about education policy, funding, and reform. Cast your vote and view real-time results on NigeriaPolls.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Education Quality Index?
The Education Quality Index is a composite metric developed by NigeriaPolls to measure and compare educational outcomes across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. It combines literacy rates, school enrollment data, pupil-teacher ratios, school density, and standardized assessment results into a single score out of 100.
Which Nigerian state has the best education quality?
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT Abuja) currently ranks first with a score of 62.1, followed by Lagos (58.4) and Oyo (55.2). These rankings reflect higher literacy rates, better school access, and more favorable teacher-to-pupil ratios compared to other states.
How does literacy rate correlate with education quality?
Our analysis shows a strong positive correlation between adult literacy rates and education quality scores. States with literacy rates above 70% typically score above 50 on the index, while those below 45% literacy generally fall below 35 points. This relationship underscores the importance of foundational literacy programs.
What is the pupil-teacher ratio in Nigerian schools?
Pupil-teacher ratios vary dramatically by state. The best-performing states like Ekiti (25:1) and Osun (27:1) maintain ratios close to UNESCO recommendations of 25:1 for primary schools. At the other extreme, states like Borno (52:1) and Sokoto (50:1) face severe teacher shortages that impact learning quality.
Why is the national education quality score stuck at 44.6?
The flat trend reflects competing pressures: modest improvements in Southern states are being offset by stagnation or decline in Northern states affected by insecurity, population growth outpacing school construction, and teacher recruitment challenges. Without targeted intervention, national averages remain stable even as regional gaps widen.
Where does NigeriaPolls source education data?
We aggregate data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), National Population Commission, WAEC and NECO examination results, and independent school surveys. Our methodology page provides full transparency on data sources, weighting, and update frequency.
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© 2026 NigeriaPolls. Data sourced from NBS, UBEC, WAEC, NECO and independent surveys.