States of Nigeria

States of Nigeria
Category Federated state
Location Federal Republic of Nigeria
Number 36 States
Populations 1,703,358 (Bayelsa) – 9,383,682 (Kano)
Areas 3,580 km2 (1,381 sq mi) (Lagos) – 76,360 km2 (29,484 sq mi) (Niger)
Government State government
Subdivisions Local Government Area
Nigeria
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Nigeria is divided into States, which are federated political entities that share sovereignty with the Federal Government of Nigeria. There are 36 States in Nigeria, bound together by a federal agreement, plus 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

A clickable map of Nigeria exhibiting its 36 states and the federal capital territory.
Niger Zinder Niamey Burkina Faso Benin Atlantic Ocean Cameroon Porto Novo Garoua Chad Chad Lake Chad Abuja Sokoto State Kebbi State Zamfara State Katsina State Jigawa State Yobe State Borno State Kano State Bauchi State Gombe State Adamawa State Plateau State Taraba State Kaduna State Nasarawa State Benue State Niger State Kwara State Oyo State Ogun State Lagos State Kogi State Osun State Ekiti State Ondo State Edo State Ebonyi State Delta State Bayelsa State Rivers State Imo State Abia State Cross River State Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria) Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria) Anambra State Anambra State Enugu State Enugu State Akwa Ibom State Akwa Ibom State Port Harcourt Benin City Lagos Ibadan Kaduna Kano MaiduguriA clickable map of Nigeria exhibiting its 36 states and the federal capital territory.
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States
  1. Abia
  2. Adamawa
  3. Anambra
  4. Akwa Ibom
  5. Bauchi
  6. Bayelsa
  7. Benue
  8. Borno
  9. Cross River
  10. Delta
  11. Ebonyi
  12. Enugu
  1. Edo
  2. Ekiti
  3. Gombe
  4. Imo
  5. Jigawa
  6. Kaduna
  7. Kano
  8. Katsina
  9. Kebbi
  10. Kogi
  11. Kwara
  12. Lagos
  1. Nasarawa
  2. Niger
  3. Ogun
  4. Ondo
  5. Osun
  6. Oyo
  7. Plateau
  8. Rivers
  9. Sokoto
  10. Taraba
  11. Yobe
  12. 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.

Legislature

At the State level the legislature is unicameral with the number of its members equal to three times the amount of legislatures it has in the Federal House of Representatives, it has the power to legislate on matters on the concurrent list.

Executive

At the State level the Head of the executive is called the Governor who has the power to appoint people to the State Executive Council subject to the advice and consent of the State House of Assembly (Legislature). The Head of a ministry at the State level is called commissioner who is assisted by a permanent secretary who is also a senior civil servant of the State.

Judiciary

The Judiciary is one of the co-equal arms of the State government concerned with the interpretation of the laws of the State government. The Judiciary is headed by the Chief justice of the State appointed by the governor subject to the approval of the State House of Assembly.

Chronology

Regions States
1960 1963 1967 1976 1987 1991 1996
Eastern South-Eastern Cross-River Akwa Ibom
Cross-River
East Central Imo Imo
Abia Abia
Ebonyi
Anambra Enugu
Enugu
Anambra
Rivers Bayelsa
Rivers
Western Mid-Western Bendel Delta
Edo
Western Lagos
Western Ogun
Ondo Ekiti
Ondo
Oyo Osun
Oyo
Northern Benue-Plateau Plateau Nasarawa
Plateau
Benue Benue
Kogi
Kwara
Kwara
Kano Jigawa
Kano
North Central Kaduna Kaduna
Katsina
North Western Niger
Sokoto Kebbi
Sokoto Sokoto
Zamfara
North Eastern Bauchi Bauchi
Gombe
Borno Borno
Yobe
Gongola Adamawa
Taraba

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "USAID Nigeria mission: Nigeria administrative divisions" United States Agency for International Development, October 2004, last accessed 21 April 2010
  2. 1 2 Kraxberger, Brennan (2005) "Strangers, Indigenes and Settlers: Contested Geographies of Citizenship in Nigeria" Space and Polity 9(1): pp. 9-27, pages 10, 11, & 15

Sources

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