Claims circulating on social media alleging that a “University of Paris” ranked Kano as the highest-spending state on education in West Africa have been found to be unsubstantiated following independent checks and investigations.
The viral report had alleged that Kano State emerged as the top-ranked sub-national government in the Economic Community of West African States region based on a 2026 education spending index purportedly released by a “University of Paris.”
However, investigations revealed that there is currently no verifiable evidence supporting the existence of such a ranking or report.
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Checks conducted on official websites and publications of major Paris-based institutions, including Sorbonne University and Université Paris Cité, reportedly found no publication, press release or academic report ranking Kano State as the highest education spender in West Africa.
Further findings indicated that no academic paper or official communication from any Paris-based university mentioned Kano State in relation to government expenditure or education spending across the region.
A review of recent 2026 academic rankings instead showed references to Nigerian higher institutions such as Bayero University Kano, which reportedly ranked among top universities in West Africa, rather than any ranking involving state government spending.
Speaking on the development, education expert Hassan Usman stated that global comparative assessments on government spending are typically conducted and published by international organizations such as UNESCO, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
According to him, university rankings issued by French and international academic institutions generally focus on academic performance, research output and institutional reputation rather than public expenditure by governments.
Usman therefore urged journalists and members of the public to verify information through credible and authoritative sources before sharing in order to prevent the spread of misinformation and fake news.
Further checks of recent UNESCO publications, including the Global Education Monitoring Report and databases of the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, also reportedly showed no ranking placing Kano State or any Nigerian state as the highest spender on education in West Africa.
The development has renewed concerns over the increasing circulation of unverified reports and misleading claims on social media platforms.
Media observers have continued to emphasize the importance of fact-checking and responsible journalism, especially on issues relating to governance, education and public policy.