Clean-Up Nigeria (CUN), in collaboration with its National Technical Study Group (NTSG), is set to publicly present the State of the Nigerian Environment Report (STONE 2026), tagged “STONE UNLEASHED,” at a national public presentation on November 25, 2026 in Abuja.
Prince Ene Baba Owoh, National Coordinator and Secretary, National Technical Study Group (NTSG) disclosed this in a press statement on Monday in Abuja.
Owoh said the 2026 edition of the STONE Report is designed to provide a comprehensive assessment of the environmental cleanliness and sanitation performance of states and major towns across the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the Nigeria Cleanliness Performance Index (NPI).
He added that the presentation will bring together stakeholders from the Federal Government, State Governments, Local Government Authorities, environmental management agencies, tertiary institutions, civil society organisations, development partners, the private sector, traditional institutions, the media and other relevant stakeholders.
“The Nigeria Cleanliness Performance Index is intended to provide a structured assessment of environmental cleanliness and sanitation performance across Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the STONE 2026 assessment will focus on five principal performance indicators: the Street and Road Cleanliness, Public Opinion Polls/ Drainage and Vegetation Control, Waste Management and Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) on Hygiene and Sanitation.
“The STONE 2026 study will employ a combination of technology-driven environmental observation and physical verification.
“Approximately 80 per cent of the assessment will be derived from monthly satellite imagery and related environmental observation, providing systematic monitoring of visible environmental conditions throughout the assessment period.
“The remaining 20 per cent will be derived from quarterly physical verification tours undertaken across the states and major towns by the 15-member National Technical Study Group (NTSG).
“The NTSG is led by Prof. Solomon Balogun, while I serve as National Coordinator/Secretary of the NTSG,” Owoh noted.
The National Coordinator said that the combination of satellite-based observation and physical verification was to strengthen consistency, transparency and evidence-based assessment while reducing dependence on isolated or one-time observations.
“The assessment will therefore seek to capture environmental performance over time rather than relying solely on conditions observed on a particular day.
“A major feature of STONE 2026 UNLEASHED will be the presentation of national and zonal environmental recognitions.
“The report and public presentation will feature: Cleanest State in Nigeria, Cleanest State in each of Nigeria’s Six Geopolitical Zones, Cleanest Tertiary Institution in Nigeria and the best state/ federal government special environmental Project of the year recognitions arising from the 2026 assessment.
“The awards are intended not merely as ceremonial honours but as instruments for encouraging healthy competition, innovation, accountability and sustained improvement in environmental management throughout Nigeria”.
He disclosed that one of the major highlights of the STONE 2026 presentation will be the Special Green Crystal Prize recognition (GCP) of Akwa Ibom state as the 8th time consecutive winner of the cleanest state in Nigeria from 2018 to 2025.
“The prize is particularly significant because of the remarkable environmental-cleanliness record associated with state.
“Accordingly, STONE 2026 UNLEASHED will place particular emphasis on recognising and documenting this historic environmental performance through the Special Green Crystal Prize, subject to the final certification and presentation arrangements of the organisers.
“The recognition is intended to celebrate sustained environmental performance while also encouraging other states to develop systems capable of producing measurable, long-term
improvements in cleanliness, sanitation, waste management, drainage and environmental stewardship”.
He said the purpose of the STONE Report goes beyond identifying winners and losers.
“STONE seeks to create an annual national environmental benchmark through which states, cities, institutions, communities and citizens can understand their environmental performance, identify areas requiring improvement and develop practical responses.
“The report is also expected to stimulate stronger collaboration between government agencies, private-sector operators, civil society organisations, development partners, the academia, traditional institutions and communities.
“Clean-Up Nigeria believes that a cleaner environment requires more than government intervention.
“It requires citizen participation, institutional responsibility, effective enforcement, environmental education, appropriate infrastructure and sustained public investment”.
He said CUN as part of its broader development and environmental interests, supports the promotion of cleaner, healthier and more resilient communities, with particular interest in environmental sustainability, sanitation, clean water, climate resilience, community development and partnerships with civil society and local institutions.
“The STONE initiative provides an important platform for strengthening public awareness around the relationship between environmental cleanliness, public health, climate resilience, sustainable cities and community development.
“We envisage that the findings of STONE 2026 will contribute to constructive dialogue among governments, communities, development organisations, environmental professionals, educational institutions and other stakeholders on practical approaches to improving Nigeria’s environmental conditions.
“STONE 2026 UNLEASHED is, therefore, positioned as more than an annual report. It is a national environmental accountability and awareness platform”.
He called on governments at all levels, businesses, institutions, communities and individual Nigerians to recognise that environmental cleanliness is a shared responsibility.
“Every street, drainage channel, market, school, hospital, office, residential neighbourhood, highway and public space forms part of Nigeria’s environmental story.
“We, therefore, urge all stakeholders to use the findings of STONE 2026 constructively to celebrate progress where it exists, identify gaps where they occur and implement practical measures for continuous improvement.
“The objective of the environmental assessment should ultimately be to help Nigerians build cleaner, healthier and more sustainable communities”.
Owoh added that the STONE 2026 report will accordingly provide a national evidence base for understanding environmental cleanliness and sanitation performance and for encouraging continuous improvement across the country.
He reiterated the central message of STONE UNLEASHED: “A Cleaner Nigeria Is visible When Measurement Leads to Action.”
He, thereafter, invited members of the media, government institutions, environmental agencies, development partners, civil society organisations, academic institutions, private-sector organisations and the public to the presentation.
