State Creation in Nigeria 1976 Till Date Basic 4 Nigerian History Lesson Note

State Creation Timeline

1976 – Second State Creation

• Created by: General Murtala Mohammed
• Number: 7 new states (Total: 19 states)
• Date: February 3, 1976

1987 – Third State Creation

• Created by: General Ibrahim Babangida
• Number: 2 new states (Total: 21 states)
• Date: September 23, 1987

1991 – Fourth State Creation

• Created by: General Ibrahim Babangida
• Number: 9 new states (Total: 30 states)
• Date: August 27, 1991

1996 – Fifth State Creation

• Created by: General Sani Abacha
• Number: 6 new states (Total: 36 states)
• Date: October 1, 1996

States Created in 1976 (7 New States)

Created by General Murtala Mohammed:

1. Bauchi State – from North-Eastern State
   1. Capital: Bauchi
   2. First Governor: Abubakar Tatari Ali
2. Borno State – from North-Eastern State
   1. Capital: Maiduguri
   2. First Governor: Mohammed Ngileruma
3. Imo State – from East-Central State
   1. Capital: Owerri
   2. First Governor: Ndubuisi Kanu
4. Niger State – from North-Western State
   1. Capital: Minna
   2. First Governor: Awwal Ibrahim
5. Ogun State – from Western State
   1. Capital: Abeokuta
   2. First Governor: Olabisi Onabanjo
6. Ondo State – from Western State
   1. Capital: Akure
   2. First Governor: Michael Adekunle Ajasin
7. Oyo State – from Western State
   1. Capital: Ibadan
   2. First Governor: David Jemibewon

States Created in 1987 (2 New States)

Created by General Ibrahim Babangida:

1. Akwa Ibom State – from Cross River State
   1. Capital: Uyo
   2. First Governor: Akpan Isemin
2. Katsina State – from Kaduna State
   1. Capital: Katsina
   2. First Governor: John Madaki

States Created in 1991 (9 New States)

Created by General Ibrahim Babangida:

1. Abia State – from Imo State (Capital: Umuahia)
2. Anambra State – from Imo State (Capital: Awka)
3. Delta State – from Bendel State (Capital: Asaba)
4. Enugu State – from Anambra State (Capital: Enugu)
5. Jigawa State – from Kano State (Capital: Dutse)
6. Kebbi State – from Sokoto State (Capital: Birnin Kebbi)
7. Osun State – from Oyo State (Capital: Osogbo)
8. Taraba State – from Gongola State (Capital: Jalingo)
9. Yobe State – from Borno State (Capital: Damaturu)

States Created in 1996 (6 New States)

Created by General Sani Abacha:

1. Bayelsa State – from Rivers State
   1. Capital: Yenagoa
2. Ebonyi State – from Enugu and Abia States
   1. Capital: Abakaliki
3. Ekiti State – from Ondo State
   1. Capital: Ado-Ekiti
4. Gombe State – from Bauchi State
   1. Capital: Gombe
5. Nassarawa State – from Plateau State
   1. Capital: Lafia
6. Zamfara State – from Sokoto State
   1. Capital: Gusau

Reasons Why These States Were Created

1. Demands by People

• Local communities asked for their own states
• Petitions sent to government
• Ethnic minorities wanted representation
• Religious groups sought recognition

2. Better Administration

• States became too large to manage
• Population increased over time
• Need for closer government to people
• Improve service delivery

3. Economic Development

• Share federal resources more fairly
• Create more job opportunities
• Encourage local development
• Attract investment to new areas

4. Political Balance

• Give more groups political power
• Reduce ethnic tensions
• Create more leadership positions
• Balance regional representation

5. National Unity

• Satisfy different groups
• Prevent conflicts
• Keep Nigeria together
• Promote peace and harmony

Impact of State Creation on Nigeria

Positive Impacts:

1. Political Development

• More people participate in government
• Increased democracy at local level
• More political offices available
• Better representation for all groups

2. Economic Growth

• Each state develops its resources
• More markets and business centers
• Increased employment opportunities
• Better infrastructure development

3. Administrative Efficiency

• Government closer to the people
• Faster service delivery
• Better problem solving
• Reduced bureaucracy

4. Social Integration

• Reduced ethnic conflicts
• Promoted national unity
• Cultural development in each state
• Peace between communities

5. Educational and Health Development

• More universities and schools built
• Better healthcare facilities
• Local development programs
• Improved living standards

Negative Impacts:

1. High Cost of Governance

• 36 governors very expensive
• Multiple government structures
• Large number of civil servants
• Heavy burden on federal resources

2. Creation of New Minorities

• Some groups still feel marginalized
• Continuous agitation for more states
• Never-ending demands
• Political instability

3. Weak Financial Base

• Many states depend on federal allocation
• Limited internal revenue
• Difficulty funding development projects
• Over-dependence on oil money

4. Duplication of Efforts

• Similar projects in different states
• Wastage of resources
• Lack of coordination
• Inefficient resource use

Current Status

Today Nigeria has:

• 36 States
• 1 Federal Capital Territory (Abuja)
• 774 Local Government Areas
• 6 Geopolitical Zones

Exercises

1. Fill in the blanks:

• General _______ created 7 states in 1976
• Nigeria currently has _______ states
• The last states were created in _______ by General _______
• General Babangida created states in _______ and _______

2. True or False:

• Nigeria has 37 states today ( )
• General Abacha created 6 states in 1996 ( )
• All state creation was done by civilian governments ( )
• Bauchi State was created in 1976 ( )

3. Match the state with the year it was created:

• Ogun State → 1976
• Akwa Ibom State → 1987
• Abia State → 1991
• Ekiti State → 1996

4. Circle the reasons for creating more states:

• People’s demands
• Make more money
• Better administration
• Political balance
• Build more houses
• National unity

5. Which military leader created the most states?

• a) Murtala Mohammed
• b) Ibrahim Babangida
• c) Sani Abacha
• d) Yakubu Gowon

6. Complete the state creation numbers:

• 1967: _______ states (Total: 12)
• 1976: _______ states (Total: 19)
• 1987: _______ states (Total: 21)
• 1991: _______ states (Total: 30)
• 1996: _______ states (Total: 36)

7. Name the states created from these:

• Western State (1976): _______, _______, _______
• Imo State (1991): _______, _______
• Rivers State (1996): _______

8. Short Answer:

• Why do people ask for new states?
• What are 2 positive impacts of creating more states?
• What are 2 negative impacts of having many states?
• How many states does Nigeria have today?

Answer Key:

1. Murtala Mohammed, 36, 1996, Sani Abacha, 1987, 1991
2. False, True, False, True
3. Matching as shown above
4. Circle: People’s demands, Better administration, Political balance, National unity
5. b) Ibrahim Babangida (created 11 total: 2 in 1987 + 9 in 1991)
6. 12, 7, 2, 9, 6
7. Ogun/Ondo/Oyo, Abia/Anambra, Bayelsa
8. Better representation and development / Political participation and economic growth / High cost and weak finances / 36 states