Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State has featured in the 2026 Global Cities Index published by Oxford Economics, ranking 957th among the 1,000 major urban centres evaluated worldwide.
The global index evaluated cities across five core metrics: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance.
Nigeria accounted for 18 cities on the global list.
The regional breakdown features four cities from the South East, four from the South West, four from the North West, three from the North Central, two from the South South, and one from the North East.
Ilorin featured among Nigeria’s top ten ranked cities alongside major urban centres including Lagos, Abuja, Onitsha, Owerri, Enugu, Ibadan, Aba, and Port Harcourt.
The recognition coincides with recent data from research firm Statisense, which ranked Kwara State among Nigeria’s top ten safest states in its Security Perception Index.
Public reaction to the rankings has highlighted investments in state infrastructure, healthcare expansion, and educational improvements over the last seven years.
Stakeholders have attributed the development to policy initiatives under Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, focusing on economic self-reliance, technological advancement, and industrial growth.
