Nigeria as a country is divided into 6 geo-political zones when it comes to its administration. Each of this zone has at the very least, six states. While the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) serves as the chief administration state.
Nigeria has over 200 million people from various ethnicity and religion. Nigeria is made up of 36 States with the Federal Capital Territory as the sole administrator.
Each of the 36 States is a semi-autonomous political and they share power in power with the Federal Government.
The state is further structured with Local Government Areas (LGA) within, for grassroots level participation. Nigeria has about 774 local government areas currently functioning.
We would list out the 36 states and capitals with also their slogans, below:
The 36 States and Capital
| States | Capital | Slogan |
| Abia State | Umuahia | God’s Own State |
| Adamawa State | Yola | Land of Beauty |
| Akwa Ibom State | Uyo | Land of Promise |
| Anambra State | Awka | Light of the Nation |
| Bauchi State | Bauchi | Pearl of Tourism |
| Bayelsa State | Yenagoa | Glory of All Land |
| Benue State | Makurdi | Food Basket of the Nation |
| Borno State | Maiduguri | Home of Peace |
| Cross River State | Calabar | The People’s Paradise |
| Delta State | Asaba | The Big Heart |
| Ebonyi State | Abakaliki | Salt of the Nation |
| Edo State | Benin City | The Heartbeat of the Nation |
| Ekiti State | Ado-Ekiti | Fountain of Knowledge |
| Enugu State | Enugu | Coal City State |
| Federal Capital Territory | Abuja | |
| Gombe State | Gombe | Jewel in the Savannah |
| Imo State | Owerri | Eastern Heartland |
| Jigawa State | Dutse | The New World |
| Kaduna State | Kaduna | Centre of Learning |
| Kano State | Kano | Centre of Commerce |
| Katsina State | Katsina | Home of Hospitality |
| Kebbi State | Birnin Kebbi | Land of Equity |
| Kogi State | Lokoja | The Confluence State |
| Kwara State | Ilorin | The State of Harmony |
| Lagos | Ikeja | Centre of Excellence |
| Nasarawa State | Lafia | Home of Solid Minerals |
| Niger State | Minna | The Power State |
| Ogun State | Abeokuta | Gateway State |
| Ondo State | Akure | Sunshine State |
| Osun State | Oshogbo | Land of Virtue |
| Oyo State | Ibadan | Pace Setter |
| Plateau State | Jos | Home of Peace & Tourism |
| Rivers State | Port Harcourt | Treasure Base of the Nation |
| Sokoto State | Sokoto | Seat of the Caliphate |
| Taraba State | Jalingo | Nature’s Gift to the Nation |
| Yobe State | Damaturu | Pride of Sahel |
| Zamfara State | Gusau | Farming is Our Pride |
What You Need to Know About the Creation of States
Prior to the creation of the 36 States in Nigeria, between 1960 and 1963, Nigeria only had 3 regions: Eastern, Western, and Northern Region.
Then it increased to 4 regions from 1963 and 1967. General Yakubu Gowon was the first Head of State to create 12 states. These States created were: Rivers, Cross Rivers, Bendel, Western States, Lagos State, Benue-Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara, Kano, North-Western State, and North-Eastern State.
Slowly, through the addition of more states, it increased to 19 states. In 1991, it increased to 21 states. It became 36 states and capital in 1996 when Abacha was head of State.
Related: Private Universities in Nigeria
Conclusion
We gave a comprehensive rundown of the 36 States and capital, and their slogans. We also gave a brief history of how the 36 States were created.
