Anambra leads South-east in education allocation ratio, as Imo ranks lowest

By Ezurike Ugochukwu 

Anambra State has emerged as the South-East state with the highest proportion of its 2026 budget dedicated to education, committing 46.9 per cent of its total expenditure to the sector, while Imo State recorded the lowest allocation ratio in the region.

Gov. Chukwuma Solido of Anambra State

A comparative analysis of the 2026 budget figures across the five South-East states shows that Anambra’s allocation significantly surpasses its regional peers in percentage terms, underscoring a strong fiscal priority for education.

In contrast, Imo’s allocation represents only a small fraction of its total budget, placing it at the rear among the states in terms of proportional investment in the sector.

Enugu State Governor

Data compiled from official state budget documents and analysed by Statistics show that Anambra earmarked ₦359 billion for education, representing nearly half of its overall spending plan for the year, the largest percentage allocation in the region.

A comparative breakdown of the five South-East states indicates that while Enugu State allocated ₦521 billion to education, the figure accounts for 32.7 per cent of its total budget, placing it behind Anambra in proportion terms

Alex Otti of Abia State

Similarly, Abia State set aside ₦203.2 billion for education, representing 20.0 per cent of its overall budget. Ebonyi State allocated ₦70.14 billion, equivalent to 19.84 per cent of its total spending plan.

Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo State

In contrast, Imo State earmarked ₦60.62 billion for education, amounting to just 4.21 per cent of its 2026 budget — the lowest percentage allocation among the five states

The figures highlight Anambra’s strong prioritisation of education relative to its regional counterparts, with its 46.9 per cent allocation significantly exceeding the 19 to 33 per cent range recorded by most of the other South-East states.

Observers note that the development positions Anambra as the regional leader in education spending for 2026, based on the share of total budget dedicated to the sector