Nigeria is a beautiful and developing nation made of many states, cities, and communities which contribute their quota to the development of the country.
As a developing nation, the sad truth is that not all states in the country can be seen as “well developed”. This issue could be attributed mostly to the mismanagement of public funds by state government officials, low internally generated revenue (IGR), misuse of public property by inhabitants of these states, and more.
In this article brought to you by TheNigerianInfo Media, we will be revealing a list of the most developed states in Nigeria right now (in no particular order) and also some details about these states.
The rankings of the states contained in this article are based on various factors which include access to basic amenities by inhabitants of the said state, level of infrastructural development, internally generated revenue, the standard of living of inhabitants, and a whole lot of other ranking factors.
Another point to note is that due to the level of infrastructural development in these states, cities located in some of them are also featured on our list of the most beautiful cities in Nigeria and they are also some of the richest Nigerian states too.
Without wasting more time, let’s take a look at the most developed Nigerian states right now.
Top 10 Most Developed States In Nigeria (Updated Ranking)
Below is a comprehensive list of the most developed Nigerian states at the moment. This list should ease your search if you’re currently looking for a good well-developed state to live in or do business in Nigeria.
1) Lagos State
This particular Nigerian state always makes the first spot when choosing the best state in Nigeria for anything. You just name it!
Every year, millions of Nigerians from other states migrate to Lagos State because of higher chances of getting jobs + it also boasts of advanced infrastructural development when compared to other Nigerian states.
The high rate of infrastructural development in Lagos State can be attributed to an increased amount of revenue generated internally by the state government and the overall management of funds by past and present governments of the state.
Lagos State also has a fast-growing economy and most times, it is referred to as the economic capital of West Africa. This state rocks the first spot on our list of the most developed state in Nigeria and anyone who has been to Lagos State can attest to this feat.
2) Abuja
We all know that Abuja is not one of the states in Nigeria, but who compiles a list of the most developed places in Nigeria without including the country’s capital – Abuja? No One.
Abuja is one of the most beautiful and well-developed/planned cities in present-day Nigeria. This Nigerian city is located in the middle of Nigeria and it was created to replace Lagos State as the capital of Nigeria in December 1991.
As the nation’s capital, you can be sure that development is a must at least in the major parts of the city.
Abuja is one of the major tourist attraction sites in Nigeria as it plays host to some of the country’s national assets which include the Zuma rock, presidential Villa (Aso rock), the house of assembly complex, the national stadium, and many other important structures in the country.
3) Anambra State
This state is one of the major south Eastern states in Nigeria today with the highest rate of infrastructural development and a very low rate of poverty.
Anambra was created in 1976 as part of the then Eastern central state before it was further subdivided into the central Eastern states we have now.
Since its creation, Anambra has proven to be one of the most highly placed states, hence its slogan which reads “Light of the nation“.
Apart from the noticeable infrastructural development which is present in this state, Anambra is also blessed with a vast number of natural resources which include natural gas, crude oil, bauxite, and ceramic.
4) Rivers State
As one of the major oil-producing states in Nigeria since inception, we expect Rivers State to be on the list of the most developed Nigerian states.
Located in the South Southern part of Nigeria, Rivers State has contributed greatly to the development of modern-day Nigeria.
Apart from being an oil-producing state with a very high GDP, Rivers State is also one of the few developed Nigerian cities where businesses and investments thrive greatly. Its capital city – Port-Harcourt – is one of the most beautiful Nigerian cities today.
5) Enugu State
The coal city as it is fondly called is another state on our list of the most developed Nigerian states.
Located in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria, Enugu state is an interesting and peaceful state where you can start your business and flourish due to the high level of commercial activities going on there daily.
Most cities in this particular state rarely lack basic amenities like electricity, good roads, and steady water supply. The capital city – Enugu – is also a very good place to hang around and it is one of the most developed cities in South-Eastern Nigeria.
6) Akwa Ibom State
Akwa Ibom state is a very rich and well-developed state in Nigeria. All thanks to her past and present governors who have worked tirelessly for the betterment of the state in terms of infrastructure and other basic human needs of masses residing and doing business there.
This state also has an outstanding GDP growth which can be attributed to the vast deposits of oil and other minerals in the state.
Uyo the capital city of this state is the most developed of all the cities in Akwa Ibom state. One of the most stunning infrastructural projects in this state is the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium which is arguably the best stadium in Nigeria and one of the best in Africa right now.
A visit to Akwa Ibom State will leave you astonished at the kind of infrastructural projects being executed by the current government of the state.
7) Kano State
Kano state is a Nigerian state which was created on May 27, 1967, from part of the Northern Region. It is arguably the most developed state in northern Nigeria as of today.
This state is also the most populated in the country with over 9.2 Million inhabitants during the last Nigerian census in 2006.
Apart from the vast human resources that the state possesses, it also contributes to the development of the nation through agriculture. Groundnut is the major agricultural commodity produced in Kano state.
Some other popular agricultural outputs which are gotten from Kano state include rice, millet, gotten, pepper, and other products which are produced by inhabitants of Kano state in large quantities either for exports or for consumption by the Nigerian populace.
Apart from agriculture, Kano state is also one of the most industrialized states in Nigeria just after Lagos state and the wealth of this state is very visible in its fast-growing internally generated revenue and overall GDP.
8) Ogun State
Ogun state has also joined the league of the most developed Nigerian states due to the recent improvement in infrastructure by the current government of the state.
It is a South Western state located next to Lagos which is the first state on this list of the most developed states in the country. Ogun state is generally known as an industrialized state and it is the third most industrialized Nigerian state just after Lagos and Kano states.
As the number one manufacturing hub in Nigeria, Ogun state remains one of the go-to states in Nigeria for job seekers and fresh graduates. The presence of industries and other multinational companies in this state has contributed greatly to her IGR which in turn contributes immensely to the overall development of the state wen utlied well.
9) Abia State
Abia is a state located in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. The two major cities in this state are Umuahia which is the capital city and Aba which is a major commercial city located at the heart of Abia state.
The major reason why Abia state appears on our list of the most developed states in Nigeria is because of the visible presence of many industries in the state. Some of the popular products manufactured in Abia state include textile materials, footwears, soap, writing materials, cement and other materials which are manufactured in cities like Aba on a daily basis.
Aside from being a major manufacturer of locally made products in Nigeria, Abia state is also an oil-producing state and over the years, this has become a major contributor to her GDP and the overall development of the state.
10) Oyo State
This is another South Western state on my list of the most developed states in Nigeria. It is bounded by Benin republic and other South Western states which includes Kwara, Osun, and Ogun States.
In 2018, it was ranked as the 4th state with the largest economy in Nigeria. This state is also host to several manufacturing industries and some well-known educational institutions in Nigeria.
It’s a capital city – Ibadan is also one of the most developed and well-planned cities in South Western Nigeria.
Wrapping Up
Even as a developing country, many Nigerian states are making strides in terms of infrastructural and industrial development and many of these states were outlined in this article of the most develpoed Nigerian states right now.
As usual, Lagos State takes the first spot on this list and it is currently the most developed state in the country and if you have ever been to Lagos state, then you can confirm this when comparing the states to other states in te federation.
Abuja, Anambra and Rivers States are in the second, third and fourth places consecutively. Although Abuja is not technically a Nigerian state, its status as the Federal Capital Territory of the country justifies it inclusion on this list.
And that will be it for this article. If you were searching for a well researched and comprehensive list of the most developed states in te country, we hope you found this article helpful.
