| Nigeria | |
| Category: | Federation |
| Territory: | Federal Republic of Nigeria |
| Current Number: | 36 |
| Population Range: | 1,704,358 (Bayelsa State) – 9,401,288 (Lagos State) Mean: 5,300,000 |
| Area Range: | 1381sqmi (Lagos State) – 29484sqmi (Niger State) Mean: 9907sqmi |
| Government: | State government |
| Subdivision: | Local Government Area (LGA) |
Nigeria is a federation of 36 states. Each of the 36 states is a semi-autonomous political unit that shares powers with the federal government as enumerated under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is the capital territory of Nigeria, and it is in this territory that the capital city of Abuja is located.[1] The FCT is not a state. It is a territory of the Federal Government, administered by Ministers of Government appointed by the President who supervises by the administration of the territory. Each state is subdivided into local government areas (LGAs). There are 774 local governments in Nigeria.[2] Under the constitution, the 36 states are co-equal but not supreme because sovereignty resides with the federal government. The constitution can be amended by the National Assembly, but each amendment must be ratified by two-thirds of the 36 states of the federation.
| Name | ISO 3166-2 code | Seal | Location | City | Geopolitical zone | Area | Population (2019 estimate)[3] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capital | Largest | ||||||||
| Abia | AB | Umuahia | Aba | South East | 6320abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 3,841,943 | |||
| Adamawa | AD | Yola | North East | 36917abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,536,948 | ||||
| Akwa Ibom | AK | Uyo | South South | 7081abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,780,581 | ||||
| Anambra | AN | Awka | Onitsha | South East | 4844abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,599,910 | |||
| Bauchi | BA | Bauchi | North East | 45893abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 7,540,663 | ||||
| Bayelsa | BY | Yenagoa | South South | 10773abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 2,394,725 | ||||
| Benue | BE | Makurdi | North Central | 34059abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,787,706 | ||||
| Borno | BO | Maiduguri | North East | 70898abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,751,590 | ||||
| Cross River | CR | Calabar | South South | 20156abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,175,020 | ||||
| Delta | DE | Asaba | South South | 17698abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,307,543 | ||||
| Ebonyi | EB | Abakaliki | South East | 6400abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 3,007,155 | ||||
| Edo | ED | Benin City | South South | 19559abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,461,137 | ||||
| Ekiti | EK | Ado Ekiti | South West | 6353abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 3,350,401 | ||||
| Enugu | EN | Enugu | South East | 13161abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,396,098 | ||||
| FC | Abuja | North Central | 7315abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 1,406,239 | |||||
| Gombe | GO | Gombe | North East | 18768abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 3,623,462 | ||||
| Imo | IM | Owerri | South East | 5530abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,167,722 | ||||
| Jigawa | JI | Dutse | North West | 23154abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 6,779,080 | ||||
| Kaduna | KD | Kaduna | North West | 46053abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 8,324,285 | ||||
| Kano | KN | Kano | North West | 20131abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 14,253,549 | ||||
| Katsina | KT | Katsina | North West | 24192abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 9,300,382 | ||||
| Kebbi | KE | Birnin Kebbi | North West | 36800abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,001,610 | ||||
| Kogi | KO | Lokoja | North Central | 29833abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,153,734 | ||||
| Kwara | KW | Ilorin | North Central | 36825abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 3,259,613 | ||||
| Lagos | LA | Ikeja | Lagos | South West | 3577abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 12,772,884 | |||
| Nasarawa | NA | Lafia | North Central | 26256abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 2,632,239 | ||||
| Niger | NI | Minna | North Central | 76363abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 6,220,617 | ||||
| Ogun | OG | Abeokuta | South West | 16981abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,945,275 | ||||
| Ondo | ON | Akure | South West | 15500abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,969,707 | ||||
| Osun | OS | Osogbo | South West | 9251abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,237,396 | ||||
| Oyo | OY | Ibadan | South West | 28454abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 7,512,855 | ||||
| Plateau | PL | Jos | North Central | 30913abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 4,400,974 | ||||
| Rivers | RI | Port Harcourt | South South | 11077abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 7,034,973 | ||||
| Sokoto | SO | Sokoto | North West | 25973abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,863,187 | ||||
| Taraba | TA | Jalingo | North East | 54473abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 3,331,885 | ||||
| Yobe | YO | Damaturu | Potiskum | North East | 45502abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 3,398,177 | |||
| Zamfara | ZA | Gusau | North West | 39762abbr=unitNaNabbr=unit | 5,317,793 | ||||
| Date | Events | Map |
|---|---|---|
| 1960–1963 | At the time of independence in 1960, Nigeria was a federal state of three regions: Northern, Western, and Eastern. Additionally, provinces, which were a legacy of colonial and protectorate times, remained extant until they were abolished in 1976. | |
| 1963–1967 | In 1963, a new region, the Mid-Western Region, was created from the Western Region. | |
| 1967–1976 | In 1967, the regions were replaced by 12 states by military decree. From 1967 to 1970 the Eastern Region attempted to secede, as a nation called Biafra during the Nigerian civil war. The Mid-Western Region was renamed to the State of Bendel during this period. | |
| 1976–1987 | In 1976, seven new states were created, making 19 altogether.[4] | |
| 1987–1991 | During this period, there were 21 states and the Federal Capital Territory. | |
| 1991–1996 | During this period, there were 30 states and the Federal Capital Territory. 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. The latest change, in 1996, resulted in the present number of 36 states. | |
States of Nigeria have the right to organize and structure their individual governments in any way within the parameters set by the Constitution of Nigeria.
At the state level, the legislature is unicameral, with the number of its members equal to three times the number of legislators it has in the Federal House of Representatives. It has the power to legislate on matters on the concurrent list.
At the state level, the head of the executive is 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 the commissioner, who is assisted by a permanent secretary, who is also a senior civil servant of the state.
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.[5]
States And Capital In Nigeria, Their Slogans & Current Governors A comprehensive list of all states in Nigeria and their current governors.