The Federation

The 6 Geopolitical Zones of Nigeria (and Their States)

Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones — North-Central, North-East, North-West, South-East, South-South and South-West — grouping all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The zones are not in the constitution: they are a 1990s political convention, now the standard basis for sharing federal appointments, projects and revenue.

Verified · updated July 10, 2026

North-Central Zone

6 states + the FCT

The Middle Belt — Nigeria's food basket, stretching from the Niger-Benue confluence to the Jos Plateau. The Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) sits in this zone.

StateCapital
BenueMakurdi
FCT (Federal Capital Territory — not a state)Abuja
KogiLokoja
KwaraIlorin
NasarawaLafia
NigerMinna
PlateauJos

North-East Zone

6 states

Nigeria's largest zone by land area, bordering Chad, Cameroon and Niger Republic.

StateCapital
AdamawaYola
BauchiBauchi
BornoMaiduguri
GombeGombe
TarabaJalingo
YobeDamaturu

North-West Zone

7 states

The zone with the most states (7) and the largest population, home to the historic Sokoto Caliphate and Kano's centuries-old commerce.

StateCapital
Jigawa Dutse
KadunaKaduna
KanoKano
KatsinaKatsina
KebbiBirnin Kebbi
SokotoSokoto
ZamfaraGusau

South-East Zone

5 states

The Igbo heartland — the smallest zone by land area, with 5 states.

StateCapital
AbiaUmuahia
AnambraAwka
EbonyiAbakaliki
EnuguEnugu
ImoOwerri

South-South Zone

6 states

The Niger Delta — the heart of Nigeria's oil and gas production.

StateCapital
Akwa IbomUyo
BayelsaYenagoa
Cross RiverCalabar
DeltaAsaba
Edo Benin City
RiversPort Harcourt

South-West Zone

6 states

The Yoruba heartland, anchored by Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital.

StateCapital
EkitiAdo-Ekiti
LagosIkeja
OgunAbeokuta
OndoAkure
OsunOsogbo
OyoIbadan

Frequently Asked Questions

How many geopolitical zones are in Nigeria?
Nigeria has six geopolitical zones: North-Central, North-East, North-West, South-East, South-South and South-West. Together they group all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Which geopolitical zone has the most states?
The North-West has the most states with seven: Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
Is the FCT (Abuja) part of a geopolitical zone?
The Federal Capital Territory is not a state, but it is grouped under the North-Central zone for political and administrative purposes.
Are geopolitical zones in the Nigerian constitution?
No. The six zones are not in the 1999 Constitution. They were introduced in the mid-1990s under General Sani Abacha's government, following a proposal at the 1994–95 National Constitutional Conference credited to former Vice-President Alex Ekwueme, and are used by convention to share political offices and federal resources.
Which is the largest geopolitical zone in Nigeria?
By land area, the North-East is the largest zone. By number of states and population, the North-West leads with seven states.
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