Last modified: 2006-08-05 by phil nelson
Keywords: nigeria | subnational entities |
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Formerly, Nigeria subdivisions consisted of only 3 regions (Western, Northern, Eastern) and Lagos Capital District. As a result of the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War, or Biafra crisis, (secession of the Igbo peoples) an administrative reform was made in Nigeria. The reform weakened the power of the separate regions and the power of the ethnic groups. (Haussa peoples in Northern region, Yoruba peoples in Western Region and Igbo peoples in Eastern Region). In 1964, the Mid Western Region was separated from the Western Region. Thus it gave a "remix" in the balance of power of the peoples of Yoruba and Igbo.
In 1967, in a move towards greater autonomy for minority ethnic groups, the military under leadership of Major General Yakubu Gowon divided the four regions into 12 states. However the Igbo rejected attempts at constitutional revisions and insisted on full autonomy for the east. On May 29, 1967 Lt. Col. Emeka Ojukwu, the military governor of the eastern region who emerged as the leader of increasing Igbo secessionist movement, declared the independence of the eastern region as the "Republic of Biafra." The ensuing Nigerian Civil War resulted in over 30,000 deaths before ending in the defeat of Biafra in 1970.
In the year 1976 with a further reform of the administrative divisions the structure of
Nigerian subdivisions was changed. In all further reforms of the administrative
divisions in Nigeria, states did not have symbols.
Jens Pattke, 8 July 2006
Regions | States | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 October 1960 to 23 January 1964 |
23 January 1964 to 27 May 1967 |
27 May 1967 to 03 February 1976 |
03 February 1976 to 23-September 1987 |
23 September 1987 to
27 August 1991 |
27 August 1991 to
1 October 1996 |
Since 1 October 1996 |
Lagos Federal District | Lagos Federal District | Lagos (1) | Lagos | Lagos | Lagos | Lagos |
Eastern | Eastern | East Central | Anambra | Anambra | Anambra | Anambra |
Enugu | Enugu | |||||
Imo | Imo | Imo | Imo | |||
Abia | Abia | |||||
Ebonyi State | ||||||
Rivers | Rivers | Rivers | Rivers | Rivers | ||
Bayelsa | ||||||
South Eastern | Crossriver | Crossriver | Crossriver | Crossriver | ||
Akwa Ibon | Akwa Ibon | Akwa Ibon | ||||
Northern | Northern | Benue-Plateau | Plateau | Plateau | Plateau | Plateau |
Nassarawa | ||||||
Benue | Benue | Benue | Benue | |||
Kano | Kano | Kano | Kano | Kano | ||
Jigawa | Jigawa | |||||
North Central | Kaduna | Kaduna | Kaduna | Kaduna | ||
Katsina | Katsina | Katsina | ||||
North Eastern | Bornu | Bornu | Bornu | Bornu | ||
Yobi | Yobi | |||||
Bauchi | Bauchi | Bauchi | Bauchi | |||
Gombe | ||||||
Gongola | Gongola | Adamawa | Adamawa | |||
Taraba | Taraba | |||||
North Western | Sokoto | Sokoto | Sokoto | Sokoto | ||
Zamfara | ||||||
Kebbi | Kebbi | |||||
Niger | Niger | Niger | Niger | |||
Western Central | Kwara | Kwara | Kwara | Kwara | ||
Kogi | Kogi | |||||
Western | Western | Western | Oyo | Oyo | Oyo | Oyo |
Osun | Osun | |||||
Ogun | Ogun | Ogun | Ogun | |||
Ondo | Ondo | Ondo | Ondo | |||
Ekiti | ||||||
Mid Western | Mid Western | Bendel | Bendel | Edo | Edo | |
Delta | Delta | |||||
Federal Capital Territory (2) |
Federal Capital Territory |
Federal Capital Territory |
Federal Capital Territory |
Federal Capital Territory |
||
1 October 1960 to 23 January 1964 |
23 January 1964 to 27 May 1967 |
27 May 1967 to 03 February 1976 |
03 February 1976 to 23-September 1987 |
23 September 1987 to
27 August 1991 |
27 August 1991 to
1 October 1996 |
Since 1 October 1996 |
Regions | States |
(1) Lagos State formed by merging the then-federal district with portions of the Western Region
(2) formed from parts of Plateau, North Central and Northwestern States