Oyo State Tops 2025 Performance Index as Best Place to Live in Nigeria, Ogun Ranks 8th

Oyo State has been ranked the best place to live in Nigeria in the newly released 2025 State Performance Index (SPI), a Nationwide report that assesses governance, infrastructure, safety, and living standards across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The SPI, published by the Centre for National Development Studies on Friday in Abuja, rated States using four major indicators: Infrastructure, Security, Healthcare, and Education.

The index revealed stark contrasts in development, with Oyo, Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, and Anambra making up the top five, while Zamfara, Yobe, Borno, Taraba, and Ebonyi fell into the bottom five.

2025 SPI Top 10 Rankings (with category scores out of 100)

1. Oyo State – Infrastructure (88), Security (85), Healthcare (83), Education (86)
   Praised for massive road expansion, Ibadan’s urban renewal, improved policing, and healthcare reforms.
2. Lagos State – Infrastructure (92), Security (74), Healthcare (79), Education (81)
   Maintains Nigeria’s strongest transport and housing sector, though security challenges remain a concern.
3. Abuja (FCT) – Infrastructure (89), Security (80), Healthcare (84), Education (78)
   Recognized for modern amenities, strong federal-backed security presence, and expanding private healthcare.
4. Rivers State – Infrastructure (84), Security (76), Healthcare (81), Education (80)
   Commended for Port Harcourt’s infrastructure upgrades and education funding, despite political tensions.
5. Anambra State – Infrastructure (82), Security (77), Healthcare (78), Education (83)
   Boosted by strong investments in schools and SME-driven urban development.
6. Delta State – Infrastructure (81), Security (75), Healthcare (79), Education (80)
   Acknowledged for transport upgrades and steady healthcare reforms.
7. Enugu State – Infrastructure (79), Security (78), Healthcare (80), Education (82)
   Strengthened by a focus on tertiary education and improved safety measures.
8. Ogun State – Infrastructure (83), Security (72), Healthcare (74), Education (79)
   Ranked 8th overall, with strengths in industrial growth and infrastructure, but flagged for rural healthcare gaps.
9. Edo State – Infrastructure (80), Security (73), Healthcare (77), Education (81)
   Noted for educational reform and urban renewal projects in Benin City.
10. Akwa Ibom State – Infrastructure (78), Security (74), Healthcare (80), Education (79)
    Scored high in healthcare and urban planning, with steady improvements in public schooling. Bottom 5 States
    Zamfara – Infrastructure (49), Security (38), Healthcare (52), Education (50)

Yobe – Infrastructure (51), Security (42), Healthcare (48), Education (55)

Borno – Infrastructure (47), Security (39), Healthcare (50), Education (54)

Taraba – Infrastructure (53), Security (45), Healthcare (49), Education (52)

Ebonyi – Infrastructure (55), Security (47), Healthcare (51), Education (53)

The report noted that Southwest states dominated the top rankings, with Oyo and Ogun representing the region’s growing influence in governance and development.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State said the recognition validates the administration’s investments in road networks, urban renewal, healthcare delivery, and educational reforms.

“This achievement proves that our strategy of people-centered governance works. Oyo will continue to pursue policies that improve lives, attract investment, and ensure sustainable growth,” Makinde declared.

Meanwhile, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State welcomed his state’s top-10 placement, pledging to strengthen healthcare access and rural development.

Policy experts say the 2025 SPI highlights the need for struggling states in the North-East and North-West to urgently address insecurity and weak governance structures, which remain the biggest barriers to development.