Smallest States In Nigeria By Landmass (2024)
What are the smallest States in Nigeria in terms of landmass?
As the phrase “the Giant of Africa” suggests, Nigeria is an extremely vast country in terms of both mass and population. It has a population of approximately 218 million and is situated in West Africa.
The landmass and people are unequally distributed among its 36 states, which make up the majority of it. This suggests that there are some huge states and some smaller states in the nation.
Related: Largest states in Nigeria by landmass
Smallest States In Nigeria By Landmass
We’ll be bringing to your attention the smallest states in Nigeria in terms of area. It’s crucial to remember that the majority of the nation’s minor states are situated in the country’s southeast. They comprise:
Lagos State
Lagos State is the smallest state in Nigeria, with a total area of around 3345 square kilometers, while being the most heavily populated. Ikeja is the location of its capital.
In terms of the nation’s economy, Lagos is undoubtedly the most significant state. It is the only state that has only one state as a border, with Ogun State to the north and east.
Anambra State
One of the smallest states in Nigeria, with a footprint of roughly 4544 square kilometers, is Anambra, which is situated in the country’s southeast.
In that order, the state is bordered on the north, east, south, and west by the states of Kogi, Enugu, Imo, and Delta. Natural gas, ceramic, bauxite, and crude oil are all abundant there.
Imo State
Imo state has an area of roughly 5530 square kilometers and is similarly situated in the country’s southeast. Although other ethnic groups also live in the state, Igbos make up the majority of its population.
The state’s economy is based primarily on agriculture, particularly the production of palm oil. The state is endowed with a wide variety of natural resources, including calcium carbonate, zinc, wind, solar, and wind energy.
Ebonyi State
It is around 5533 kilometers square and is referred to as the “salt of the nation.” The state of Ebonyi is situated in the southeast of the nation. State borders with River, Benue, and Enugu.
The state’s economy is based on agriculture, particularly the production of palm oil, rice, and yams. The Cross River and its tributary river, known as the Aloma, are two noteworthy geographical features. Both rivers flow along the eastern and southeastern portions of the Alamo River and the Cross River, respectively.
Abia State
The state is 6620 square kilometers in size, making it one of the smallest states in Nigeria. It contains both the Cross Niger transition forest and the swamp forest of the Niger Delta. The Igbos are the dominant group in this area.
Ekiti State
Ekiti state is a region of Nigeria that is around 6533 kilometers square in size. Ondo, Kogi, and Keara States are all bordered by Ekiti. The major Yoruba subgroup Ekiti is honored as the name of the state. In 1996, a piece of Ondo State was used to create it.
Akwa-Ibom State
Akwa-Ibom is also one of the smallest states in Nigeria, making up around 7081 km2 of land. The Cross Rivers and the Imo River are found there. In that area is also the Stubb’s Creek forest reserve.
Putty-nosed monkeys, red-capped mangabeys, Sclater’s guenons, and a dwindling crocodile population are just a few of the species of fauna that call the reserve home and are all severely endangered. Ibibio, Anang, and Oron are some of the ethnic groups present in the state.
The dominant ethnic group in the state is, however, the Ibibos.
Enugu State
Enugu state, which is located in the southeast of the nation, has a total area of around 7161 square kilometers. It was developed in 1991. The state is bordered to the north by the states of Benue and Kogi, to the southeast and east by the state of Ebonyi, to the west by the state of Anambra, and to the south by the state of Abia.
The state of Enugu and its capital city, Enugu, have the same name. Igbo people make up the majority of the population of the state, with Idoma and Igala people making up the minority groups. The state is well recognized for its agricultural and trading products, including rice, cocoyam, palm oil, yams, and cassava.
Osun State
Osun has a land area of 9251 km2 and is situated in the southwest of Nigeria. It bears the name of the Osun River, which traverses the state. Osun is thought to be the state with the smallest area.
The Oba and Erinle rivers, which are tributaries of the Osun River and pass through the state, are just two of the prominent topographical features of Osun. The purple heron, common kestrel, Mona monkey, and royal antelope are also found there.
The Yoruba ethnic group, which includes the Info, Ijesha, Igbemina, Oyo, and Ibolo subgroups, makes up the majority of the population in Osun State.
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa state, with a land mass of 10771 km2, is the tenth smallest state yet is not very small. The Niger Delta’s central region includes the state of Bayelsa.
Since Bayelsa State provides the majority of the crude oil used in Nigeria, the state’s economy is dependent on the production of petroleum jelly. It is the location of the Oloibiri oilfield, where oil was discovered for the first time in Nigeria.
The Ijaw language predominates in the Bayelsa state, which may be due to the fact that it is the Urhobo people’s native homeland. The Atlantic Ocean borders the state’s southern border as well.
Final Thoughts
This piece has discussed the smallest states in Nigeria by landmass. It’s crucial to remember that a state’s population is not determined by its size, with Lagos having Nigeria’s greatest population while having the country’s smallest land mass and Bayelsa having Nigeria’s lowest population despite having a big land mass.
Even though they are all small, each of these states makes a specific contribution to the development and economics of Nigeria. You should think about visiting these “little states” if you are nearby because they provide a variety of tourist attractions.
