Niger | |
---|---|
From top, left to right: Minna City gate (exit); Tunga roundabout; AP roundabout; Minna central mosque; St. Michael's Cathedral; landscape view of Minna city | |
Nicknames: | |
![]() Location of Niger State in Nigeria | |
Coordinates: 10°00′N 6°00′E / 10.000°N 6.000°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Date created | 3 February 1976 |
Capital | Minna |
Government | |
• Body | Government of Niger State |
• Governor (List) | Mohammed Umar Bago (APC) |
• Deputy Governor | Yakubu Garba (APC) |
• Legislature | Niger State House of Assembly |
• Senators | E: Sani Musa (APC) N: Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC) S: Muhammad Bima Enagi (APC) |
• Representatives | List |
Area | |
• Total | 76,363 km2 (29,484 sq mi) |
• Rank | 1st of 36 |
Population (2006)[2] | |
• Total | 3,954,772 |
• Estimate (2022) | 6,783,300[1] |
• Rank | 9th of 36 |
• Density | 52/km2 (130/sq mi) |
GDP (PPP) | |
• Year | 2021 |
• Total | $29.63 billion[3] |
• Per capita | $4,496[3] |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (WAT) |
postal code | 920001 |
ISO 3166 code | NG-NI |
HDI (2018) | 0.482[4] low · 28th of 37 |
Website | NigerState.gov.ng |
Niger is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria. It is the largest state in the country by area.[5][6][7] The state capital is Minna. Other major cities are Bida, Kontagora and Suleja.[8][9] Niger state was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was divided into Niger State and Sokoto State.[8] It is home state of two former Nigerian military heads of state— Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar. The Nupe,Adara, Gbagyi, Kamuku, Kambari, Gungawa, Hun-Saare, Hausa and Koro form the majority of numerous indigenous tribes of Niger State.[10]
The state is named after the River Niger. Two of Nigeria's major hydroelectric power stations, the Kainji Dam and Shiroro Dam, are located in Niger State, along with the new Zungeru Dam.[11] The Jebba Dam straddles the border of Niger state and Kwara state. The famous Gurara Falls is in Niger State, and Gurara Local Government Area is named after the Gurara River, on whose course the fall is situated.[12] Also situated there is Kainji National Park, the largest National Park of Nigeria, which contains Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve and the Zugurma Game Reserve.[13]
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