List of States in Nigeria: Nigeria, or the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is an African country located in the Western Part of the Continent. It is the most populous country in Africa, with an estimated population of 237,527,782 people. It is also ranked number 6 in the world’s most populous countries.
Nigeria is a federal republic that operates under the Constitution of Nigeria, which is the country’s Supreme Law. The current constitution was enacted on May 29, 1999. The Constitution of Nigeria provides for a Federal Government that oversees the whole country. The country itself is made up of 6 various geopolitical zones, further broken down into states, helping bring governance closer to the people of Nigeria. So how many states are in Nigeria? This guide has all that you need to know.
How Many States Does Nigeria Have?
As of 2025, Nigeria has 36 states and one Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja established in 1976 that operates as a distinct administrative zone rather than a state. However, it is essential to note that there is an ongoing Parliamentary House of Representatives committee on constitutional review, which aims to create an additional 31 new states in Nigeria, bringing the number to 67 if approved.
How the Nigerian states were formed over the years was not done once after achieving its independence from being a British colony to replace the four regions formed in 1960, but rather, it has been through six significant reforms between 1967 and 1996, starting with General Yakubu Gowon’s reorganization after the Nigerian Civil War. The evolution of Nigeria’s states is as follows:
- 1967: General Yakubu Gowon replaced the four regions (Northern, Western, Eastern, and Mid-Western) with 12 states.
- 1976: General Murtala Mohammed created 7 new states, increasing the total to 19, and established the FCT.
- 1987: General Ibrahim Babangida added 2 states (Akwa Ibom and Katsina), bringing the total to 21.
- 1991: Babangida created 9 additional states, raising the count to 30.
- 1996: General Sani Abacha created the final 6 states (Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Zamfara), completing the current framework of 36 states.
List Of Nigerian States With Key Details
Below is the complete alphabetical list of Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), along with their Key details, such as Creation Date and Current capitals:
| No. | State | Capital | Creation Date | Geopolitical Zone | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Abia | Umuahia | August 27, 1991 | South East | AB |
| 2 | Adamawa | Yola | August 27, 1991 | North East | AD |
| 3 | Akwa Ibom | Uyo | September 23, 1987 | South South | AK |
| 4 | Anambra | Awka | August 27, 1991 | South East | AN |
| 5 | Bauchi | Bauchi | February 3, 1976 | North East | BA |
| 6 | Bayelsa | Yenagoa | October 1, 1996 | South South | BY |
| 7 | Benue | Makurdi | February 3, 1976 | North Central | BE |
| 8 | Borno | Maiduguri | February 3, 1976 | North East | BO |
| 9 | Cross River | Calabar | May 27, 1967 | South South | CR |
| 10 | Delta | Asaba | August 27, 1991 | South South | DE |
| 11 | Ebonyi | Abakaliki | October 1, 1996 | South East | EB |
| 12 | Edo | Benin City | August 27, 1991 | South South | ED |
| 13 | Ekiti | Ado-Ekiti | October 1, 1996 | South West | EK |
| 14 | Enugu | Enugu | August 27, 1991 | South East | EN |
| 15 | Gombe | Gombe | October 1, 1996 | North East | GO |
| 16 | Imo | Owerri | February 3, 1976 | South East | IM |
| 17 | Jigawa | Dutse | August 27, 1991 | North West | JI |
| 18 | Kaduna | Kaduna | May 27, 1967 | North West | KD |
| 19 | Kano | Kano | May 27, 1967 | North West | KN |
| 20 | Katsina | Katsina | September 23, 1987 | North West | KT |
| 21 | Kebbi | Birnin Kebbi | August 27, 1991 | North West | KE |
| 22 | Kogi | Lokoja | August 27, 1991 | North Central | KO |
| 23 | Kwara | Ilorin | May 27, 1967 | North Central | KW |
| 24 | Lagos | Ikeja | May 27, 1967 | South West | LA |
| 25 | Nasarawa | Lafia | October 1, 1996 | North Central | NA |
| 26 | Niger | Minna | February 3, 1976 | North Central | NI |
| 27 | Ogun | Abeokuta | February 3, 1976 | South West | OG |
| 28 | Ondo | Akure | February 3, 1976 | South West | ON |
| 29 | Osun | Osogbo | August 27, 1991 | South West | OS |
| 30 | Oyo | Ibadan | February 3, 1976 | South West | OY |
| 31 | Plateau | Jos | February 3, 1976 | North Central | PL |
| 32 | Rivers | Port Harcourt | May 27, 1967 | South South | RI |
| 33 | Sokoto | Sokoto | February 3, 1976 | North West | SO |
| 34 | Taraba | Jalingo | August 27, 1991 | North East | TA |
| 35 | Yobe | Damaturu | August 27, 1991 | North East | YO |
| 36 | Zamfara | Gusau | October 1, 1996 | North West | ZA |
| 37 | FCT | Abuja | Dec 12, 1991 | FCT |
Nigeria States: Your Questions And Answers
What are the names of 36 states of Nigeria?
They are as follows:
- 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
Are there 36 or 37 states in Nigeria and their capital?
Nigeria has 36 states, not 37. Some people confuse Nigeria with having 37 because the 37th is not a state; instead, it’s a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with Abuja as its capital.
What is the biggest state in Nigeria?
Niger State covering approximately 76,363 square kilometers.
Which state is the first capital of Nigeria?
Lagos was the first state capital of Nigeria declared in 1914 by Sir Frederick Lugard until 1991 and since then Abuja is the current capital
