Infrastructural development is key to the development of any state. According to research undertaken by the team of Godday Uwawunkonye Ebuh, Ifeoma Betty Ezike, Tersoo Shimonkabir Shitile, Ebow Suleiman Smith, Timipre Mary Haruna, and titled: The Infrastructure–Growth Nexus in Nigeria: A Reassessment. The well-researched article ‘re-examined ‘the link between infrastructure development and output growth in Nigeria, for policy formulation and implementation.’ The article, employed the Granger causality test based on the time series vector error correction model (VECM), to reinvestigate the nexus between infrastructure investment and economic growth in Nigeria, using quarterly data from 1997: Q1 to 2017: Q4.
It posits that ‘The dearth and decay of infrastructure in Nigeria, certainly affect the social-economic well-being of its citizenry. The level of infrastructural decay and in some cases complete absence of critical infrastructures across the three spectra: utility (water, sanitation, power, and communication); physical (road, rail, water, and air transport) and social (education, health, etc.) connote low-income trap, that may hinder Nigeria from being in the league of 20 top economies….’
The research findings also established that ‘infrastructure investment and capital expenditures in general, over the last three decades, remain abysmal in Nigeria, compared to the country’s current macroeconomic indicators including an estimated population of 198 million; the population growth rate of 3.2 percent (National Population Commission [NPC] 2017); unemployment rate of 23.1 percent Q3, 2018 (National Bureau of Statistics [NBS] 2018); and real growth of 2.38 percent in Q4, 2018 from 2.11 percent in Q4, 2017 (NBS 2018);’ and believe that situation, ‘suggests signs of economic fragility reinforced by basic infrastructure constraints; both physical and human.
It however, advised that ‘Improving good quality infrastructure will reduce the gap between the available supply and the increasing demand for infrastructure, for sustained and inclusive growth.’ The report said.
With this scenario in mind, we now examine the top 10 states, which have taken the lead and measure of seriousness in infrastructural development in Nigeria. We shall focus our assessment on key indicators, such as road, transportation (road, rail and air), healthcare, water supply, electricity supply, educational system telecommunication facilities, sanitary system, monetary system, IT infrastructures, and human capital development
- 1. Lagos State (South West, Nigeria)
From all available statistical data, Lagos State is leading the rest of Nigeria in terms of infrastructural development. Within the past 20 years, Lagos has taken an aggressive approach by investing heavily in building a world-class road network in the city’s metropolis, which started in 1990 but became more accelerated during early 2000, and beyond. This has helped in giving the state a facelift, eased traffic congestion of people, goods, and services across the state.
Famed as the richest state in Nigeria, by generating the highest IGR than other states, The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), says Lagos State is the seventh fastest-growing city in the world, with the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in Nigeria, noting that out of the 36 states and FCT, Lagos State had N398.7 billion IGR as at 2018, N1.2 trillion budget in 2020 and N5 trillion households consumption in 2019. Consequently, the state has taken the lead in various developmental indices among other states in Nigeria. In the area of transportation, Lagos State established the Bus Rapid Transport Scheme (BRT), the first of its kind in Africa, and had purchased thousands of new BRT buses to ease transportation in the state, and the creation of BRT lanes that aid rapid transportation.
In terms of healthcare, telecommunication, sanitary system (waste disposal), monetary system, IT infrastructures, education, and financial transactions, Lagos seems to be leading the rest of the country as well. Nonetheless, water supply, electricity, and human capital developments remain less than stellar.
- 2. Anambra State (South East, Nigeria)
Anambra State is the 8th most populous state in Nigeria, despite being the second smallest in the southeast. It has an annual population growth rate of 2.21 percent per annum, 60% of Anambrarians are living in urban areas, and it is one of the most urbanized states in Nigeria. During the government of Peter Obi, who secured the assistance of the UN-HABITAT, to produce a 20-year structural Masterplans (2009–2028), for three major cities in the State: Onitsha, Nnewi, and Awka the Capital Territory, this was aimed at restoring urban planning and guide their growth into the future. With the plan in place, Anambra State embarked on a rapid developmental trajectory with massive projects, inroads constructions, education, deployment of ICT infrastructures, and boost in the economic activities, through foreign direct investments (FDI). There were also huge investments in agriculture, and a rise in Internally Generated Revenues (IGR).
The state also improved significantly, by embarking on capital projects such as, housing and markets developments and modernization of existing structures within the state, which were accomplished through the Anambra Integrated Development Scheme (ANIDS). The government of Governor Obiano, who succeeded Governor Peter Obi, embarked on the ambitious project of building the state’s first international airport, recently completed and awaiting flight commencement. Interestingly, Anambra State is the most privately developed economy in Nigeria, second only to Lagos State. The state is home to the first indigenous vehicle manufacturing company in Africa. Nnewi is also famous for the manufacture of vehicles and industrial equipment. Onitsha market remains the biggest market in all of West Africa.
The state is however currently plagued by political uncertainties, insurgencies, insecurity, and dilapidation of existing infrastructures built by the previous government. The state’s treasury accumulated by the previous government is said to have been depleted, while the once credit positive status of the state has turned negative, with a debt profile running into trillions in naira. Transportation, water supply, healthcare, electricity supply, educational system, telecommunication facilities, sanitary system, and human capital development remain under-developed. The state has few if any entertainment centers.
- 3. Abuja, Federal Capital Territory [FCT] (North Central, Nigeria)
Abuja is the state capital of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, and thus, not a state in the real sense. However, Abuja is one of the most-well-developed states in Nigeria. Most of the infrastructure of the state was built by the Federal government. In terms of infrastructure, Abuja has a well-developed network of roads, airport, housing, medical centers, educational system, among others. Many financial institutions, oil and gas companies, telecom companies, state liaison offices among others, have their headquarters in Abuja.
The FCT is one of the most-well-planned cities in Nigeria and has one of the best road networks. Abuja is also a tourist destination of sorts, due to its beautiful landscape, impressive architectural masterpieces, its serenity, and of course, the fact that it is Nigeria’s seat of government.
- 4. Ebonyi State (South East, Nigeria)
In terms of Infrastructural development, Ebonyi State Government has constructed many roads, including 25 km concrete roads done in each of the 13 local government areas, with bridges, over 800 km concrete roads within the satellite and urban towns, and over 300 km Federal Highway, constructed by the State Government, dualization of 23 km Abakaliki/Enugu and Abakaliki /Afikpo Federal roads, along with crossover bridges/flyovers. Ebonyi State has worked its way into reckoning, as the fastest developing state in Nigeria with numerous beautiful roundabouts, CCTV Cameras, digital LED facilities, and street lights in virtually all the streets of the capital city and each of the local government areas. Ebonyi today has the highest number of overhead bridges in Nigeria, after Lagos. This is quite impressive.
In the agricultural sector, the government took giant steps by
increasing rice production to about 150,000 MT/annum, through public-private sector arrangement and is expected to scale up to 1,000,000 MT/annum, in 5 years with the completion of Ebonyi ring road. The state provided a matching grant of ₦4BN with BOI, to support small and medium agriculture and solid mineral enterprise, to create 400,000 direct jobs and over 1 million indirect jobs. Other areas the state has made impressive improvements are transportation, through road constructions and promotion of a culture of maintenance and continuous upgrading of transport infrastructures and services, improvement of safety, security, reliability, quality, and speed of movement of goods and people; construction of Africa’s biggest four- way light tunnel linking Southeast’s biggest single international market, located along the trans-Sahara highway leading through Cross River to Cameroun, and also linking to the biggest international airport that is under construction; raising importers and exporters, setting up of CCTV cameras for security; transformation of the healthcare system, setting up of a virology center, construction of the College of Medicine with a center of excellence, for the production of dialyzes among other impressive achievements.
- 5. Rivers State (South-South, Nigeria)
Rivers State is the second-largest economy in Nigeria after Lagos State, with a GDP of approximately $21, 073, 410, 422 USD, which is larger than most national GDPs in the African continent. The State is largely dominated by the petroleum industry and has 2 major refineries, 2 major seaports, and an airport. The state has the capacity of refining 340,000 barrels of crude oil per day. It also has several industrial estates spread across the state capital.
The Primary Health Care system consists of 353 health care centers across 319 political wards. Rivers State has one of the nation’s highest per capita energy consumption rates, and the state has a generation capacity of about 400mw, transmission lines of 237km. This is a far cry from the energy need of the state. Though the state government said that it is addressing the three-tier energy matrix – power generation, transmission, and distribution. Transportation is mainly land and water. Both domestic and international flights are available from Port Harcourt International Airport. The majority of Riverians obtain their water for household uses from vendors and boreholes. The state has 3 major universities, the School of Health Technology, Polytechnics, and School of Nursing and Midwifery.
- 6. Enugu State (South East, Nigeria)
Enugu State was created in 1991 from the old Anambra State. Enugu was the state capital of the old Eastern region and benefited immensely in terms of infrastructural development. It has a functional airport, a well-developed network of roads, radio and television stations, and a railway system; high-class hotels, an art council, and is the south-eastern home of Nollywood – Nigeria’s entertainment industry
Through the Integrated Rural Development Agenda, of Governor Ugwuanyi’s administration, the state government recently completed a 13-kilometer Nike Lake Junction, linking Harmony Estate to Amorji Nike and Adoration Centre, through Orie Emene Road. The government has invested heavily in the transformation of the university town of Nsukka, into an urban city by dualizing all the major roads leading into and out of the town complete with street lights.
The government has also keyed into the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP), a project jointly sponsored by the World Bank and the French Development Agency, designed to rehabilitate and maintain key rural roads. This is in addition to Community Based Road Maintenance and Annual Mechanised Maintenance, aimed at rehabilitating 49.8km of rural roads in the state.
- 7. Akwa Ibom State (South-South, Nigeria)
Akwa Ibom State was created on September 23, 1987, from the former Cross River State, and is currently the highest oil- and gas- producing state in Nigeria. The state capital Uyo has over 500,000 inhabitants. Akwa Ibom’s capital infrastructures include an airport, two major seaports, with the proposed construction of another seaport at Ibaka, Oron. The state also has a 30,000-seat sports complex. Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, recently completed a 21-story building commissioned by Vice President Prof, Yemi Osinbajo, to mark the 34th anniversary of the state. The state is also making efforts to commence the Lagos-Calabar rail project, to pass through Uyo, as a major station. There’s a plan to commence the Akwa Ibom Deep Sea Port, a $4.2 billion project to be built on over 2,565 hectares of land.
The government had in 2019, established Kings Flour Mills, Lions Plywood, and Timber Factory and a power substation as well as an airline, Ibom Air. Obviously, like the Vice president said, Akwa Ibom is “consistently reinventing itself to remain competitive and attractive to the investment community.”
- 8. Cross River State (South-South, Nigeria)
Cross River State has made major strides in tourism and destination branding, since the days of its young and visionary leader Governor Donald Duke, who upgraded the status of the state through a massive infrastructural development drive, chief among, which is Tinapa Business Resort and Obudu Cattle Ranch. Also, the state government has established the state as a tourism destination through its several festivals that attract thousands of tourists from all over the world to include:
- The annual Cross River State Christmas Festival
- The annual Cross River State Carnival Float
- The annual Yakurr Leboku Yam festival
- The Calabar Boat Regata
- Among many others
The state also boasts of great national monuments ideal for growing her tourism industry, these include:
Cross River National Park, the soaring plateaus of the mountain tops of Obanliku, the Rain forests of Afi, the spiraling ox-bow Calabar River, Calabar Marina, Calabar Residency Museum, Calabar Slave Park, Ikom Monoliths, Mary Slessor Tomb, Calabar Drill Monkey Sanctuary, Afi Mountain walkway canopy, Kwa falls, Agbokim waterfalls, Tinapa Business Resort, Mono railway, and the annual Christmas Calabar Carnival.
9 Kano State (North East, Nigeria)
Kano State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the northern region of the country, and has been touted as the most populous city in Nigeria (this has been disputable). The state has developed since independence, a diverse economy, and established itself as an industrial hub of northern Nigeria. Hausa and Fulani make up a majority of Kano’s population, but southerners also form a block of its population.
Kano is a hub of large markets such as Kurmi Market, Kwari Market, Sabon Gari Market, and Dawanau Markets, with each specializing in a certain product like textiles or grain, tanning, footwear, cosmetics, plastics, enamelware, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, furniture, agricultural implements, soft drinks, food and beverages, dairy products, vegetable oil, animal feeds, etc.
A document released by the Central bank of Nigeria, titled The State of Infrastructure In Kano Zone, explains that Kano State is improving in infrastructural development, citing 1,488 primary schools with 500,046 student’s enrolment, as well as projects executed by the state to promote water supply in its major cities. The document explains that the state has many health centers, 2 specialist hospitals, 7 general hospitals; and that major towns in the state are linked by a network of roads constructed by the state government, in collaboration with DFRRI. The state has no airport and communication facilities are yet to meet up with the challenges of today.
10. Oyo State (South West, Nigeria)
Oyo State is noted for being the site of the first university in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan. The state economy remains largely agrarian. Census figures (2006), places the state’s population at 5.6m people but has risen since then to an estimated 6.59m, making it the 5th most- populous state in Nigeria. Formerly the administrative capital of the former Western State, Oyo State was once a regional epicenter for investment and growth and a major trade crossroad. Before independence, Ibadan had a well-developed infrastructure and thriving trade.
The current government of Oyo State, Governor Seyi Makinde, focuses on four pillars for accelerated development of the state: Economy, Education, Healthcare and Security and had consequently made budgetary allocations along this line, with Works (Infrastructural developments), getting the second-highest allocation of 23.93%; Education 22.37%; Healthcare 5.18%: Agriculture and Capital Expenditures got 4.43% and 47.9% respectively. With a visionary leader such as Gov. Makinde, Oyo State is sure to move up the scale of top states in Nigeria. Major places of interest in Oyo state include Agodi Parks, UI Zoological Garden, Mapo Hall, Ado Awaye Mountains and Suspended Lakes, Topfat Art Gallery, Odu’a Museum and Hall of Fame, Bower’s Tower, Idere Hills, Ido Cenotaph, Trans-Wonderland Amusement Park, Old Oyo National Park, Iyamopo and Agbele Hill in Igbeti, Bowers Tower and the Cultural Centre, Mokola.
