By Damilola Adeleke

Nigeria continues to face significant environmental challenges, with over 179 million people still living in unclean environment. This was contained in the State of the Nigerian Environment (STONE) 2024 report, which was presented during an event themed “Cleanest State Champions in Nigeria – Stone 2024 Unplugged”.

The report, however, highlights a slight improvement from last year’s figure of 183 million.Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of Clean-Up Nigeria (CUN), Prince Owoh, said the findings are aimed at driving comprehensive environmental policies at all levels of government while encouraging citizens to adopt cleaner habits. He described the 2024 zonal rating as a step towards improving Nigeria’s national cleanliness index.

The report highlighted key improvements in sanitation, with open defecation rates dropping from 24% in 2023 to 20% in 2024. However, it raised concerns about the decline in waste recycling efforts, which fell from 26% in 2023 to 19% in 2024. This setback, according to Owoh, is largely due to rising poverty levels across the country.

The Cleanliness Performance Index Rating ranked Akwa Ibom as the cleanest state in Nigeria, followed by Abuja. Akwa Ibom was praised for its investment in advanced waste management equipment and significant improvements in citizen sanitation. Other cleanest states by zone include Enugu in the South-East, Lagos in the South-West, Plateau in the North-Central, Borno in the North-East, and Kaduna in the North-West.Owoh stated that the zonal rating approach provides a more accurate assessment of cleanliness, enabling states to benchmark themselves against others in their regions.

This method fosters healthy competition and promotes collaboration among states to tackle environmental challenges effectively.He further explained that the STONE Green Crystal Award was presented to the six cleanest states as recognition of their commitment to environmental sustainability.

By highlighting successes and challenges within each zone, the initiative aims to inspire states to adopt effective strategies and showcase best practices for maintaining a clean environment.