Umuahi, Abia – Abia State has claimed the top spot in the 2025 SBM Health Preparedness Index (HPI), scoring 26.85 points, marking its first-ever lead in the annual ranking of Nigeria's 36 states for emergency response and healthcare delivery.

Released by SBM Intelligence, the report highlights Abia's edge through the nation's highest per capita health spending (₦22,926), a robust 14.8% budget allocation to health, and a leading Human Development Index of 0.674.

Ogun State held second place with 23.52 points, followed by Lagos at 23.08—despite the latter's record ₦221 billion nominal health budget.Kwara (22.50), Edo (22.28), and Rivers (21.74) rounded out the top six.

Kaduna emerged as the highest northern performer at seventh (20.42), with a standout 16.1% budget share for health. Enugu (19.90) impressed with a doctor-to-patient ratio under 3,200:1.

Southern states dominated mid-tier rankings, while northern regions lagged, with insecurity and staffing shortages cited as key barriers.

Borno (17.79) struggles with one doctor per 36,000 residents, far exceeding WHO guidelines.

The bottom included Ebonyi (12.85) the only southern state in the lowest five and Katsina (12.54).

No state exceeded 30 points, underscoring widespread vulnerabilities.

SBM warns of critically low national preparedness, urging urgent reforms to protect millions from future crises.

The index draws from sources like NBS, WHO, and BudgIT.