Top 10 Dirtiest States In Nigeria 2024 (UNEP Ranking)

The list of the dirtiest states in Nigeria is created so you can know the states that need to be worked on I’m terms of cleanliness and hygiene as this can influence the health of citizens in the listed states.

Mind you, every state in Nigeria is dirty but we have only listed the dirtiest and the factors that is used for this ranking is mainly population, it’s easier for a densely populated area to be dirty than a lightly populated area.

In some states, the government has put in place facilities and manpower to ensure the state is as clean as possible but this isn’t a thing that is limited to the government alone, the citizens also have a crucial part to play in ensuring their communities or localities is clean. So, if you notice that some states in Nigeria are more cleaner than others it is the effort of the people and also that of the government of such state.

Where there is proper waste management and recycling it is expected that such state will have more cleaner cities this is why we have written about the cleanest states in Nigeria.

The United Nations (UN) have set some standards or expectations which could be utilized to maintain a healthy environment but unfortunately, most states in Nigeria couldn’t meet these expectations and that is the main reason why cholera and other diseases thrive in Nigeria.

Whenever there is an outbreak, it is expected that such disease will easily spread across the country. To back this claim up, you can take your time to move around the urban and rural areas in the states we are going to mention and see for yourself how dirt’s littered on the road, water channels and also refuse dumps in places which such shouldn’t be found.

Without further ado let’s dive into today’s topic as we reveal the most dirtiest places in Nigeria.

The 10 Dirtiest States In Nigeria 2024

Based on the data gotten from the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) and Clean-up Nigeria, below is the list of the most dirtiest states in Nigeria presently:

Abia State

Abia State tops the list of the most dirtiest states in Nigeria based on the ranking bodies; the state account for over 75% of its areas which are so dirty while 25% is considered a bit okay and according to this fact Abia State is the most dirtiest state in Nigeria.

There is no local government area in this state that is exempted, you will find refuse dumps all across the streets, on highways and even each house’s surroundings, this can be majorly blamed on the government but partly on the citizens too.

Never forget the popular Aba which is seen as one of the top base for commerce and also as a city is ranked as the most unclean city.

Abia State is in a very difficult spot as the state have issues of extreme flooding and erosion, this can be controlled though but the state is unlucky with bad leaders, now that there has been a change of administration through the recently concluded election we hope all this negativity will change too.

Lagos State

With the fact that Lagos is seen as the commercial hub of the country and even a top leading city in Africa, it is quite unfortunate that the state is ranked as the 2nd dirtiest state in Nigeria with over 65% of its areas unclean.

Years back you won’t see Lagos on this list and the credit goes to the then administration as the state governors back then did a lot of work to ensure the state is one of the cleanest cities in Nigeria most especially during the administration of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola but since then the previous and current administration have performed poorly in the area of waste management and cleanliness of the state.

Although not all parts of Lagos are dirty, some places are clean as there are private sectors waste and recycling companies handling waste, mostly in the Island, you see clean areas and some parts of the mainland, places like Mile 12, Ajegunle, Orile, Oshodi and so on are so dirty and needs to be worked on.

The government needs to set up environmental agencies that can take waste from markets and communities and also use law enforcement agencies to enforce cleanliness and also punish those who litter the area and water channels with dirt.

Kogi State

Kogi State is the 3rd dirtiest state in Nigeria accounting for over 65% of its areas being unclean which is why it is one of the states not safe to live in.

Mind you, the remaining 35% area can’t be called clean but a bit better than the 65%, the change of leaders over the years hasn’t seen any positive result as each administration abandoned the safety of their citizens with no much development in the state which makes it one of the least developed states in Nigeria.

The poor state of Kogi state has rendered its inhabitants so poor while making education difficult for them and restricting them to an untidy lifestyle.

Anambra State

Are you surprised? Anambra State is the 2nd dirtiest state in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, it is also one of the dirtiest in the country and this can likewise be blamed on the government of the state not taking cleanliness seriously which means the health and well-being of their inhabitants or citizens is not seen to be important.

Taking a tour around Obosi, Nkpor, Nnewi, Upper Iweka and even the major city Onitsha will make you sad, the sight of seeing dirt littered on the highway, gutters, markets and even the residential areas is so bad and not healthy.

The state government of each administration has neglected this sector and offenders are not punished which makes it look normal to dump refuse in the gutter.

Kano State

Just like other states we’ve mentioned Kano State being one of the most populated states in Nigeria also share the same problem with other states on this list, the government have not been able to get it right as far as waste management control and cleanliness is concerned.

Mind you, when talking about ease of doing business Kano State is one of the best northern states where business thrives but even with this, the state account for over 65% of its area looking extremely dirty it’s even worst as you can easily find feaces and smelly objects on the streets, in bus stops, markets and even in some business areas.

There has never been a well-planned waste management structure put in place by various administrations of the state and this makes the state unsafe health-wise for one to live in.

Osun State

Even though Osun State isn’t much populated the state made it on the list of the dirtiest states in Nigeria, mind you, this can’t be attributed to the state government but the inhabitants of this state.

So strange that the state government in collaboration with each local government has been able to provide waste bins in various areas with trucks which can help retrieve the waste and properly dispose them but the inhabitants refused to use that instead they resort to trashing their waste in bushes and also on the streets.

We can partly blame the government for this too, as there is no enforcement and no scapegoats which made the inhabitants commit such atrocities without fear, this has increased diseases like typhoid, malaria and even cholera outbreaks in the state.

Nasarawa State

This is the second most dirtiest state in Northern Nigeria and this is mainly because of incessant security issues and the destruction of lives and properties in this state by the various terrorist groups that have plagued the state.

Low development is also a factor that needs to be looked into, as the government isn’t doing much to ensure the security and safety of Nasarawa State inhabitants is taken seriously.

With the fact that this state is very close to the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, the state still ranks the seventh dirtiest state in Nigeria.

Zamfara State

Just like the previously mentioned, Zamfara State is also one of the states facing security challenges from various terrorist organizations, nevertheless, environmental problems are not exempted.

As one of the least developed and educated states, much isn’t expected from the state as the state IGR is very low, which can be blamed on the security challenges.

Barely 85% of areas in this state are considered clean, others are so dirty which makes the well-being of the inhabitant’s something that needs to be quickly worked on.

Yobe State

Yobe State is also one of the dirtiest states in Northern Nigeria; its low IGR is a big factor that has rendered the inhabitants of the state to be so poor and exposed to diseases.

Ogun State

Ogun state is one of the states in Nigeria with a huge IGR, thanks to the proximity it has with Lagos State. Even with the fact that most companies, schools, religious camps, factories and offices are located in this state it still accounts for 50% of its areas being dirty.

Although the government has tried to ensure the state takes a new shape in terms of cleanliness but those efforts are only made in urban areas and not the rural areas, you find refuse dumps in some areas and even on roadsides.

Read Also: 10 Dirtiest Cities In The World [Air Pollution Ranking]

Conclusion

Nigeria being the largest black nation on earth has a lot to do in terms of environmental cleanliness and also infrastructural development as other countries look forward to Nigeria. It is an eyesore seeing major cities of Nigeria being littered with refuse dumps, the government of the country needs to start doing much to ensure the needed waste management control bodies are out in place and at the same time educate the citizens on why they need to keep a clean environment while also enforcing this to ensure defaulters are punished.