The geopolitical zones of Nigeria are at present six, each one containing the same group of people with the same culture, belonging to the same ethnic group, or even sharing the same historical background.
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LIST OF GEOPOLITICAL ZONES IN NIGERIA AND THEIR STATES
During his office, former President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida put it in place while searching for the best way to allot resources.
He then divided all 36 states into six (6) geographical zones: North West, North East, North Central, South West, South East, and South-South, respectively.
NORTH WEST GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
North West region consists of Jigawa state, Kano state, Kaduna state, Katsina state, Kebbi state, Sokoto state, and Zamfara state. They cover an area of 216,065 km2, making the North West one of the largest areas in the nation.
The region of the North-western is the most populous geopolitical zone of Nigeria, with more than 90 million inhabitants within its boundaries. It is the National Population Commission, according to the numbers gathered from its census in 2006, said that the North West geopolitical zone is the most populated area across entire Nigeria.
It is a primarily Hausa-spoken region, although other languages are also spoken here. The people who live in the region are predominantly farmers, as practices for agriculture like cattle rearing and the planting of cash crops like millets, yams Okro, millets, etc., are most commonly practiced in this region of the country.
They include Kanuri, Fulani, Zuru Gbagyi Jabba, Zara, Maguzawa, and Baju. Other ethnic groups that are part of these North West geopolitical zones are the Dakarkari, Kaje, Gwari, Kataf, Kambari, Zabarmawa, and Gungawa, among other groups. The major cities and towns in the North West include Zaria, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Dutse, Gusau, and Birnin-Kebbi.
NORTH EAST GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
The North East geopolitical zone comprised Borno state, Bauchi state, Yobe state, Adamawa state, Taraba state, and Gombe state. Islam is the main religion of this region as the proportion of Muslims over Christians is on the higher end of the spectrum.
Regarding economic activity, agriculture and animal agriculture is the mainstay for the indigenous people of this zone of geopolitics. It is also said that North East is the riskiest region in Nigeria due to Boko Haram, a deadly terrorist group that is believed as the source of more than 5 000 deaths, as reported by the NPC.
This zone comprises major ethnic groups such as Kanuri, Fulfulde, Fulani, Babur, Balewa, Tiv, Tangalawaja, and Mumuye. Potiskum, Yola, Maiduguri, Bauchi, Jalingo, Damaturu, and Gombe are the most important towns within this geopolitical area.
NORTH CENTRAL GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
Commonly referred to as the Middle belt, The North Central is the most multi-ethnic of the Geopolitical zones of Nigeria. Because of its diversity, numerous ethnic groups speak various languages in this zone.
In contrast to the other regions in the area, unlike the rest, North Central is made up of people from diverse backgrounds who are unable to communicate in the same languages. It also houses its own Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The main ethnic groups of this region are the Igala people from Kogi state. Igbira, Idoma, Tiv, Yoruba, Gbagyi, Nupe, Berom, Mangu Mada-Eggon, and Gwandara.
The geopolitical zone of the north-central in Nigeria includes six states. This includes those in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, making it 7(note: Abuja is not an actual state). It comprises Niger state, Kwara state, Kogi state, Benue state, Nasarawa state, and Plateau state.
Minna, Ilorin, Lokoja, Makurdi, Lafia, and Jos are the most important cities and towns. Abuja isn’t a state but one of the states located in the geopolitical zone north central in Nigeria.
SOUTH WEST GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
It is the South West geopolitical zone in Nigeria. It is comprised of mainly the Yoruba people, but there is also an insignificant amount that includes other groups of ethnicity.
The southwest geopolitical zone comprises the states listed below: Lagos state, Oyo state, Ogun state, Osun state, Ekiti state, and Ondo state.
In this Yoruba dominating area, it is possible to see Lagos, Ibadan, Abeokuta, Oshogbo, Ado-Ekiti, and Akure as the most important cities.
SOUTHEAST GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
South East is the Igbo dominant geopolitical zone of the country, with the majority of people who live there who speak Igbo. Igbo language.
It comprises five states: Abia state, Enugu state, Anambra state, Ebonyi state, and Imo state.
The main towns include Onitsha, Owerri, Aba, Enugu, and Abakaliki.
SOUTH-SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONE
This is the oil-producing geopolitical zone of Nigeria, often called”the Niger Delta.
The states listed here are Akwa Ibom state, Delta state, Rivers state, Bayelsa state, Edo state, and Cross River state.
This area which covers less than 7 percent of the total land area in Nigeria, is the region that produces the oil utilized to support the Nigerian economy.
The main towns in the area are Uyo, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Warri, Benin, and Cross River.
The area comprises various ethnic groups, including the Ijaw Itsekiris, Urhobos Isokos, Ikwerre, Bini, Essan, Ogoni, Ibibio, Efik, Annang, and Ejagham.