How Local Government Areas were created in Niger State

Niger State comprises 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) that were created over time by different presidents of Nigeria.

Niger State itself was created on the 3rd February, 1976 out of the then North-Western state during the regime of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed; the state formerly began to function on April 1st of that year, with eight Local Government Councils (LGAs) namely: Chanchaga, Rafi, Gbako, Etswan, Suleja, Mariga, Magama and Lavun. Etswan Local Government was later divided into two (Agaie and Lapai LGAs).

Zuma rock is a large monolith, an igneous intrusion composed of gabbro and granodiorite, located in Niger State, Nigeria

Between 1979 and 1983 during the second republic, when Mallam Muhammadu Awwal Ibrahim was the Executive Governor of the State, eighteen LGAs were created:  Kuta, Paikoro, Chanchaga, Rafi, Gbako, Katcha, Lemu, Lapai, Agaie, Suleja, Mariga, Bangi, Magama, Auna, Lavun, Mokwa and Jima-Doko. But when the military came into power in 1984, it was reverted to the original eight LGA structure. However, Chanchaga was split into two-Minna Municipal council, with Minna as headquarters while Kuta remained the headquarters of Shiroro LGA, the former name of Chanchaga LGA. 

The LGAs in Niger State became Nineteen (19) in 1991 when President Ibrahim Babangida created Nine (9) States and additional LGAs in Nigeria. By 1996 when Late General Sani Abacha created six (6) additional states and 182 LGAs in the entire country, Niger State got additional six (6) LGAs, namely, Katcha, Munya, Mashegu, Edati, Tafa and Mariga bringing the total to 25 LGAs. 

In the year 2002, the Civilian administration of Engr. Abdulkadir A. Kure responded to the clarion call of the people for the creation of additional local government areas. To this end, additional 17 new local government areas were created out of the existing ones; bringing the total number of local governments to 42. 

However, because this was not gazetted by the National Assembly as enshrined in the constitution, the new LGAs were dissolved and converted to Area Development Councils. Thus, the status-quo of 25 LGAs was maintained.

List of Local Government Areas

Niger State has 25 Local Government Areas, namely:

  1. Agaie
  2. Agwara
  3. Bida
  4. Borgu
  5. Bosso
  6. Chanchaga
  7. Edati
  8. Gbako
  9. Gurara
  10. Katcha
  11. Kontagora
  12. Lapai
  13. Lavun
  14. Magama
  15. Mariga
  16. Mashegu
  17. Mokwa
  18. Munya
  19. Paikoro
  20. Rafi
  21. Rijau
  22. Shiroro
  23. Suleja
  24. Tafa
  25. Wushishi

Local Government Areas and their headquarters

The Local Government Areas in Niger State and their headquarters are:

SNLGAHEADQUARTERS
 01 AgaieAgaie
 02 AgwaraAgwara
 03 BidaBida
 04 BorguNew Bussa
 05 BossoMaikunkele
 06 EdatiEnagi
 07 GuraraGawu Babangida
 08 GbakoLemu
 09 KatchaKatcha
 10 KontagoraKontagora
 11 LapaiLapai
 12 LavunKutigi
 13 MarigaBangi
 14 MokwaMokwa
 15 MagamaNasko
 16 MasheguMashegu
 17 MunyaSarkin Pawa
 18 PaikoroPaiko
 19 RafiKagara
 20 RijauRijau
 21 ShiroroKuta
 22 SulejaSuleja
 23TafaSabon-Wuse
 24WushishiWushishi
 25 MinnaMinna
Minna Township City Gate

Boundaries: Niger State shares its borders with republic of Benin (West), Zamfara State (North), Kebbi (North-West), Kogi (South), Kwara (South West), Kaduna (North-East) and the FCT (South-East).

Land area, the largest among Nigerian states: Niger State is one of the largest states in Nigeria covering about 86,000km2 (or about 8.6million hectares) representing about 9.3% of the total land area of the country.

Major rivers: Niger State’s major rivers are: Niger, Kaduna, Gbako, Eko, Gurara, Ebba, Ega, Mariga and their tributaries.

Hydro electric power dam Niger State, Nigeria

Fishes: The common fishes found in these rivers are: Nile Perch (Lates) Trunck fish, Cat fish, Osteoglosid, Tilapia, Synodontis, Tiger fish, Moon fish, Mormyrid and Electric fish. By the 2006 census, the State’s population is 3,950,249 comprising 2,032,725 males and 1,917,524 females.

Gurara waterfalls. It’s located in Gurara, a Local Government Area of Niger State, North Central Nigeria

Ethnic groups: The easily identifiable major ethnic groups are Nupes, Hausa, Gbagyi, Kadara, Koro, Bassa, Kamuku, Ingwai, Fangu, Kambari, Dukkawa, Fulani, Abewa, Bisan, Gungawa, Bauchi, Bariba, Urah, Boko, Bokobaro, Bauchnu, Achifawa, Dakarkari, Kakanda, Ganagana, and Dibo and numerous non native tribes.

Economic activities: The major economic activity is agriculture: farming, fishing, and cattle rearing.

The other economic activities (though limited in scale) include banking, trading, transportation, local arts and crafts with Bida, the heart land of the Nupes, famous for its brass work. These activities constitute the means of livelihood of the people of Niger State in addition to public service.

Reference: nigerstate.gov.ng/about-niger

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