Akwa Ibom State has been ranked as the cleanest state in Nigeria by 2025, topping the national cleanliness index with a cumulative score of 79 percent, according to the recently released State of Nigeria Environment Report (STONE 2025 UNBROKEN).
The report, launched in Abuja by Nigeria’s National Cleanup Coordinator and Secretary of the National Technical Study Group (NTSG), Prince Ene Baba Owoh Jr., PhD, also named Kogi State as the dirtiest, with a score of 15 percent.
Nasarawa, Kwara and Kebbi closely followed Kogi with 16 percent each, while Kano ranked 33rd with 17 percent.
Enugu State (65%) and Ebonyi State (56%) came second and third, after Akwa Ibom, respectively. The report identified nine states that will achieve clean status by 2025: Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Plateau, Cross River, Anambra, Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Akwa Ibom also emerged as overall champion for the eighth consecutive year (2018-2025), earning the Stone 2025 Unbroken Green Crystal award and a service medal.
The 15-member NTSG, chaired by Professor Solomon Balogun, conducted the annual study between November 2024 and November 2025.
The assessment adopted a hybrid methodology that combines satellite images that capture spectral environmental data on a monthly basis (80%).
The states were rated using five key variables including street and road cleanliness, vegetation and drainage control, waste management services, public opinion survey (POP) and knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of sanitation and hygiene.
The report highlights several worrying national trends, such as the health of sanitation workers fell from 31 percent in 2024 to 28 percent in 2025, sanitation-related diseases increased from 29 percent in 2024 to 43 percent in 2025, hygiene and sanitation practices decreased from 36 percent to 32 percent, and open defecation decreased slightly from 24 percent to 19 percent, but still among the highest globally.
He added that 187.2 million Nigerians, out of an estimated total of 240 million, live in unclean environments, according to satellite images.
The report also warned that life expectancy in Nigeria fell from 50 years in 2024 to 47 years in 2025, underscoring the growing health implications of environmental neglect.
Prince Owoh urged governments at all levels to invest more in waste management equipment and infrastructure while encouraging citizens to adopt better hygiene practices.
He stressed the need to build more public toilets, health and environmental clubs in schools and stronger partnerships between the government, private sector and NGOs.
Praising the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for her green initiative, Owoh urged the Tinubu administration to adopt a comprehensive green environmental agenda focusing on city living in nature, green economy, energy research and resource management.
Each geopolitical zone also produced its own best performing country: South-South: Akwa Ibom (79%), South-East: Enugu (65%), South-West: Lagos (48%), North-East: Bauchi (50%), Central-North: Plateau (52%) and North-West: Kaduna (35%).
Clean-Up Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to working with stakeholders across the country to improve environmental conditions and reduce public health risks associated with poor sanitation.
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