States of Nigeria

States of Nigeria
Category	Federated state
Location	Federal Republic of Nigeria
Number	36 States
Populations	1,739,136 (Ebonyi) – 21,000,534 (Lagos)
Areas	3,580 km2 (1,381 sq mi) (Lagos) – 76,360 km2 (29,484 sq mi) (Niger)
Government	State government
Subdivisions	Local Government Area

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A Nigerian State is a federated political entity, which shares sovereignty with the Federal Government of Nigeria, There are 36 States in Nigeria, There is also a territory called the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which is not a state, but a territory, under the direct control of the Federal Government. The States are further divided into a total of 774 Local Government Areas.^[1] Under the Nigerian Constitution States have the power to ratify constitutional amendments.

Current states and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja

A clickable map of Nigeria exhibiting its 36 states and the federal capital territory. States Abia Adamawa Anambra Akwa Ibom Bauchi Bayelsa Benue Borno Cross River Delta Ebonyi Enugu Edo Ekiti Gombe Imo Jigawa Kaduna Kano Katsina Kebbi Kogi Kwara Lagos Nasarawa Niger Ogun Ondo Osun Oyo Plateau Rivers Sokoto Taraba Yobe Zamfara Territory Federal Capital Territory (FCT)

Former state boundaries

Before and after independence in 1960, Nigeria was a Federal State of three Regions: Northern, Western, and Eastern. Provinces were also used in colonial times. In 1963, two provinces were detached from the Western Region to form the new Mid-Western Region. In 1967, the regions were replaced by 12 states due to a military decree; only the former Mid-Western Region escaped division, and formed a single state following the restructuring. From 1967 to 1970 the areas of Mid-Western State and the Eastern Region attempted to secede, as a nation called Biafra during the Nigerian civil war. In 1976, seven new states were created, making 19 altogether.^[2]

The Federal Capital Territory was established in 1991. In 1987 two new states were established, followed by another nine in 1991, bringing the total to 30.^[2] The latest change, in 1996, resulted in the present number of 36 states.

1991-1996

During this period, there were 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

1987-1991 During this period, there were 21 states and, later, Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

1976-1987 During this period, there were 19 states.

1967-1976 During this period, there were 12 states.

1963-1967 During this period, there were 4 regions.

1960-1963 During this period, there were 3 regions.

Government

As sovereign entities, States of Nigeria have the right to organize/structure their individual governments in any way within the parameters set by the Constitution of Nigeria.

Chronology

See also

• ISO 3166-2:NG
• List of state governors of Nigeria
• Lagos State
• Edo State
• Rivers State
• Ogun State
• Osun State

Notes

Sources

• Ajayi, Gboyega (2007) The military and the Nigerian state, 1966-1993: a study of the strategies of political power control Africa World Press, Trenton New Jersey, ISBN 1-59221-568-8
• Benjamin, Solomon Akhere (1999) The 1996 state and local government reorganizations in Nigeria Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, Ibadan, Nigeria, ISBN 978-181-238-9
• Suberu, Rotimi T. (1994) 1991 state and local government reorganizations in Nigeria Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria, ISBN 978-2015-28-8

External links

• "New States of Nigeria". Statoids. 
• Headline News in Nigeria States

States of Nigeria
Federal Capital Territory (FCT)
Abia Adamawa Akwa Ibom Anambra Bauchi Bayelsa Benue Borno Cross River Delta Ebonyi Edo Ekiti Enugu Gombe Imo Jigawa Kaduna Kano Katsina Kebbi Kogi Kwara Lagos Nasarawa Niger Ogun Ondo Osun Oyo Plateau Rivers Sokoto Taraba Yobe Zamfara

Lists of States of Nigeria
	Listed by: area population GDP date of statehood capitals governors nicknames Highest point