State Creation In Nigeria: 10 Quick Facts

Nigeria is the most populous black nation on earth with over 200 million people and many ethnic tribes. 

Over the years  different ethnic groups has protested and demanded for the creation of more states,while some are even agitating for a new independent country of their own from Nigeria.

In this post we will run down some important facts that you should know about state creation in Nigeria such as the origin and history of state creation in Nigeria,Who  divided nigeria into 19 states,states created by murtala mohammed,Nigerian states and the year of their creation Etc  

State Creation In Nigeria

The origin of state creation in Nigeria dates back to the 19th century when the british invaded and ruled Nigeria,in other to establish an organized leadership they divided the country in protectorates. 

Here are some quick facts about state creation in Nigeria that you should know. 

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• 1. The earliest state creation was done by the british when they invaded Nigeria,they created three  protectorates which are the the Northern Protectorates, Oil River and Lagos. 
• 2. The Protectorates was amalgamated in 1914 which resulted in the creation of a the country called Nigeria. 
• 3. In 1954 after the creation of Nigeria,the British divided Nigeria into three regions which were the Western, Eastern and Northern Provinces.
• 4. After independence from Britian, between 1963 to 1967 the regions in Nigeria was extended to four regions namely: Northern Region, Western Region Mid-Western Region and Eastern Region.
• 5. After General Yakubu Gowon came to power through a coup d’état in 1967,he created 12 states. General Yakubu Gowon was the first Nigerian leader to divide the regions into states,the 12 states he created were: North-Western State, 
• North-Eastern state, Kano State, North-Central State, Benue-Plateau State, Kwara State, Western State, Lagos State, Mid-Western State, Rivers State , East-Central State and East-Central State.
• 6. Under the leadership and mantle of General Murtala Mohammed,Nigeria was further divided into 19 states in 1976,The Benue-Plateau became Benue, the East Central was split into Plateau and Anambra, Bauchi was carved out of Gondola, the Mid-West became Ogun and Bendel, North Central was renamed Kaduna, North Eastern was Borno, North Western was Sokoto, Rivers was split into Niger and Rivers, South Eastern became Cross and Western State became Ondo. The Nineteen states created by General Murtala Mohammed are: Benue,Plateau,Anambra,Imo,Bauchi,Gongola,Kwara,Lagos,Ogun,Bendel,Kaduna,Kano,Borno,Sokoto,Niger,Rivers,Cross River,Ondo and Oyo State. 
• 7. Under the leadership of  General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida In 1987, Nigeria was further divided into 21 states. General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Akwa Ibom and Katsina state. He carved Akwa Ibom State from Cross River State. 

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• 8. In 1991,the General went ahead to create 10 more states namely Yobe, Osun, Taraba, Jigawa, Kogi, Abita and Delta state,making the total number of States in Nigeria to thirty. 
• 9. Under the leadership of General San Abacha In 1996,he created six more more state which gives us a current number of the 36 states which we have in Nigeria today. The six new states were: Nasarawa,Ebonyi,Ekiti,Gombe,Bayelsa and Zamfara state. 
• 10. Since the last creation of states in 1996,there has been calls from different ethnic groups in Nigeria for the creation of more states,for example the Igbo's has been calling for the creation of an extra state that will be called 'Adada State'. 

36 States In Nigeria & Date Of Creation

36 States In Nigeria + Date Of Creation + States They were created from. 

Read Also: Top 10 Poorest States In Nigeria 

1. Abia State
27 August 1991
Created from Imo State.

2. Adamawa State
27 August 1991
Was formerly called Gongola State

3. Akwa Ibom State
23 September 1987
Was created from Cross River State

4. Anambra State
27 August 1991
Was created from the old Anambra State.

5. Bauchi State
3 February 1976
Was created from the former North-Eastern State.

6. Bayelsa State
1 October 1996
Was created from Rivers State.

7. Benue State
3 February 1976
Was created from Benue-Plateau State.

8. Borno State
3 February 1976
Was created from the North-Eastern State

9. Cross River State
27 May 1967
Was created from Eastern Region/South-Eastern State 

10. Delta State
27 August 1991
Was formerly called Bendel State. 

11. Ebonyi State
1 October 1996
Was created from Enugu State and Abia State.

12. Edo State
27 August 1991
Was created from Bendel State

13. Ekiti State
1 October 1996
Was created from Ondo State.

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14. Enugu State
27 August 1991
Was created from the old Anambra State.

15. Gombe State
1 October 1996
Was created from Bauchi State.

16. Imo State
3 February 1976
Was created from East Central State.

17. Jigawa State
27 August 1991
Was created from Kano State

18. Kaduna State
27 May 1967
Was created from the Northern Region/North-Central State 

19. Kano State
27 May 1967
Was created from the Northern Region

20. Katsina State
23 September 1987
Was created from Kaduna State

21. Kebbi State
27 August 1991
Was created from Sokoto State.

Read Also: Top 10 Richest States In Nigeria

22. Kogi State
27 August 1991
Was created from Kwara/Benue State

23. Kwara State
27 May 1967
Was created from the Northern Region/West Central State. 

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24. Lagos State
27 May 1967
Was created from Federal Territory of Lagos and Colony Province

25. Nasarawa State
1 October 1996
Was created from Plateau State

26. Niger State
3 February 1976
Was created from the North-Western State

27. Ogun State
3 February 1976
Was created from the Western State

28. Ondo State
3 February 1976
Was created from the Western State

29. Osun State
27 August 1991
Was created from Oyo State

30. Oyo State
3 February 1976
Was created from Western State

31. Plateau State
3 February 1976
Was created from Benue/Plateau State.

32. Rivers State
27 May 1967
Was created from the Eastern Region

33.Sokoto State
3 February 1976
Was created from the North-Western State

34.Taraba State
27 August 1991
Was created from Gongola State

35.Yobe State
27 August 1991
Was created from Borno State

36.Zamfara State
1 October 1996
Was created from Sokoto State

37. Abuja Federal Capital Territory
3 February 1976
Was created from Benue-Plateau/North-Central and North-Western States