Lagos, Jigawa, Akwa Ibom, Lead as NESMA 2026 Honours Top States, Lafarge Africa and Environmental Icons
Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Jigawa States have emerged as the top-performing states in the Nigeria Environmental Sustainability Merit Awards (NESMA) 2026 under the Excellence in Environmental Governance category.
The awards were presented during the Nigerian Environmental Summit (NESt 2026) held on 18 June 2026 at Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja.
Lagos State ranked first with a score of 74 for excellence in environmental policy, regulation and enforcement, followed by Akwa Ibom State (72) for outstanding performance in cleanliness and municipal solid waste management. Jigawa State placed third with a score of 68.5 for its achievement in attaining Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.
Other top-performing states included Cross River (4th) for biodiversity conservation and climate resilience, Abia (5th) for improvements in waste management and urban renewal, and Enugu (6th) for advances in sanitation and solid waste management.
The NESMA rankings were based on key sustainability indicators, including environmental governance, waste management systems, sanitation and WASH compliance, biodiversity conservation, environmental advocacy, and resource mobilization.
In the corporate category, Lafarge Africa Plc received the Nigeria Environmental Sustainability Pillar Award as Corporate Partner of the Year. The award was received by the company’s Director of Health, Safety and Environment, Rachael Ezembakwe.
Representing the Honourable Minister of Environment, Mallam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Mrs. Adeola Omotunde, Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, commended the award initiative for promoting environmental excellence and strengthening environmental governance across Nigeria.
The summit also inducted six distinguished environmental leaders into the Nigerian Environmental Sustainability Hall of Fame under the Distinguished Environmental Personality of All Time category. The honourees were Dr. Joy Agene of the World Bank, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo, Dr. Ngeri Benebo, Sanitarian Augustine Ebisike, Rev. Nnimmo Bassey, and Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to environmental sustainability, policy, advocacy and environmental governance in Nigeria and beyond.
Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Occasion, Dr. Mutiu Sunmonu, CON, emphasized that environmental leadership, innovation and collaboration remain critical to Nigeria’s transition to a green and sustainable economy.
The awards, coordinated by the Sustainability Awards and Scorecards (SAS) Commission of the Nigerian Environmental Summit Group (NESUG), attracted over 5,800 public votes and underwent a rigorous screening and validation process involving environmental experts from government agencies, academia and civil society organizations.
