Akwa Ibom State has clinched the title of Nigeria's cleanest state for the year 2025, according to the latest national environmental assessment. The state achieved a leading cumulative cleanliness score of 79 percent.
National Rankings and Assessment Methodology
The results were made public in Abuja by Ene Baba Owoh, the National Coordinator of Clean-Up Nigeria and Secretary of the National Technical Study Group. The announcement came during the presentation of the Nigerian Environment Report and the Cleanliness Performance Index Ratings for all states.
Following Akwa Ibom in the top three were Enugu State in second place with a score of 65 percent, and Ebonyi State in third with 56 percent. The annual study was conducted between November 2024 and November 2025 by a 15-member team led by Professor Solomon Balogun.
Owoh detailed that the assessment combined physical verification of states and towns, which counted for 20 percent of the score, with monthly satellite imagery analysis contributing 80 percent. The satellite data captured spectral information to gauge environmental conditions.
The study evaluated five key variables: the cleanliness of streets and roads; control of vegetation and drainage; waste management services; public opinion polls; and the knowledge, attitude, and practice of hygiene and sanitation measures among the populace.
Concerning National Trends and Zonal Champions
Despite the success of the top-performing states, the report painted a troubling picture of the nation's overall environmental and public health landscape. It highlighted significant declines in several critical areas.
Procurement of waste management equipment across federal, state, and local government levels was alarmingly low at just 8 percent. The health status of sanitation workers worsened, dropping from 31 percent in 2024 to 28 percent in 2025.
Simultaneously, diseases related to poor sanitation rose sharply to 43 percent, up from 29 percent the previous year. General hygiene and sanitation practices among Nigerians also slipped, falling from 36 percent to 32 percent.
Although open defecation decreased from 24 percent to 19 percent, Nigeria remains the second country in the world with the highest rate of open defecation. The report further noted that a staggering 187.2 million Nigerians out of an estimated 240 million population live in unclean environments, based on the satellite data.
Perhaps most alarming was the reported drop in life expectancy, which fell from 50 years in 2024 to 47 years in 2025.
The report listed the nine cleanest states as: Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Plateau, Cross River, Anambra, Lagos, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It also identified the cleanliness champions for each of Nigeria's six geopolitical zones:
- South-South: Akwa Ibom (79%)
- South-East: Enugu (65%)
- South-West: Lagos (48%)
- North-East: Bauchi (50%)
- North-Central: Plateau (52%)
- North-West: Kaduna (35%)
Calls to Action and Continued Excellence
In light of the findings, Ene Baba Owoh issued a strong call to action. He urged governments at all levels to significantly increase funding for waste management infrastructure and operations. He also called on citizens to take personal responsibility by prioritizing hygiene and sanitation in their daily lives.
To combat open defecation, Owoh advocated for a massive increase in the construction of public toilets. He also recommended establishing health and environment clubs in schools to foster environmental awareness from a young age.
Owoh expressed Clean-Up Nigeria's readiness to partner with both government and the private sector to drive improvements in cleanliness standards nationwide. He commended the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, for her green initiative project and encouraged the Federal Government to adopt a comprehensive green agenda focusing on sustainable city living, energy research, green economy development, and natural resource management.
For Akwa Ibom State, the 2025 ranking marks its eighth consecutive win as Nigeria's cleanest state since 2018. In recognition of this sustained excellence, the state was awarded the Stone 2025 Unbroken Green Crystal Award and the Medal of Service Award.
