ABIA STATE RANKED NUMBER ONE IN NIGERIA FOR HEALTH EMERGENCY READINESS AS 2025 SBM HEALTH PREPAREDNESS INDEX CONFIRMS GOVERNOR OTTI’S REFORMS AS NATION’S BEST

Abia State has clinched the top position as Nigeria’s most prepared state for health emergencies, according to the 2025 SBM Health Preparedness Index (HPI) released on November 6, 2025.

The report, published annually by SBM Intelligence, placed Abia at the summit with a score of 26.85 points, the highest in the country. The state’s leading performance is anchored on robust per-capita health spending of ₦22,926, a 14.8% budget allocation to the health sector, and an impressive Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.674, one of the best nationwide.

The SBM Health Preparedness Index is a nationally recognized benchmark that evaluates how Nigeria’s 36 states are positioned to respond to health emergencies and deliver sustainable healthcare services. The 2025 edition draws from authoritative data sources, including the National Bureau of Statistics, World Health Organisation (WHO), The Lancet, BudgIT, The Cable, Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, Radboud University Faculty of Medical Sciences, and Global Data Lab.

The Index measures multiple indicators such as doctor-to-patient ratios, infant and child mortality rates, health spending per person, budgetary commitment to healthcare, and overall human development outcomes.

According to the 2025 ranking, Ogun State came second with 23.52 points, maintaining its 2024 position, while Lagos State took third place with 23.08 points, despite its record ₦221 billion health budget, the largest in nominal terms nationwide. Kwara and Edo States followed closely in fourth and fifth positions with 22.50 and 22.28 points, respectively, while Rivers completed the top six at 21.74 points.

Kaduna State, ranking seventh with 20.42 points, retained its status as the best-performing northern state, driven by a remarkable 16.1% health budget share, the highest in Nigeria. Enugu State came eighth with 19.90 points, sustaining a strong performance supported by an excellent doctor-to-patient ratio of fewer than 3,200 residents per doctor.

Mid-tier states such as Ondo (19.77), Kogi (19.58), Akwa Ibom (19.33), Bayelsa (18.86), Cross River (18.61), and Niger (18.44) showed steady improvements, alongside Osun, Anambra, Delta, Ekiti, Oyo, and Imo, which maintained scores above 18 points. This tier, largely dominated by southern states, reaffirms the region’s lead in healthcare investment and service delivery.

However, the report highlighted challenges in northern Nigeria, where insecurity, underfunding, and human resource shortages continue to impede progress. States such as Borno (17.79) and Nasarawa (17.44) showed moderate gains, while Benue, Plateau, Yobe, Taraba, and Kano remained below the 17-point threshold.

At the bottom of the national ranking were Gombe (14.76), Bauchi (14.13), Adamawa (14.07), Sokoto (13.71), Jigawa (13.51), and Kebbi (13.31). Ebonyi State, with 12.85 points, emerged as the only southern state among the lowest five, largely due to inadequate health funding and a critical shortage of doctors averaging one doctor for every 21,000 residents. Katsina State ranked last with 12.54 points.

Despite Abia’s remarkable achievement, the report cautioned that no state scored above 30 points, revealing a nationwide gap in health emergency readiness. SBM Intelligence urged increased investments in public health infrastructure, personnel, and preventive health systems to safeguard Nigerians against future epidemics and crises.

The 2025 Health Preparedness Index was computed using a weighted model encompassing six key metrics:

1. Doctor-to-population ratio (30%)

2. Infant/child mortality rate (25%)

3. Human Development Index (20%)

4. Health budget per capita (10%)

5. Health budget share of total budget (10%)

6. Average household size (5%)

Abia’s top ranking underscores the success of its renewed focus on strategic healthcare investment, efficient resource management, and citizen-centered governance, reflecting the dividends of reform-driven leadership.

As Nigeria continues its post-pandemic recovery journey, Abia’s ascent to the top of the national health preparedness chart signals a new era of public health resilience, transparency, and progressive governanc, positioning the state as a model of effective healthcare administration and emergency readiness in the federation.