Origin Of Thirty-Six (36) Nigerian State Names

At a point in time, you probably may have asked a friend or some one about the origin of your state name or the origin of Nigerian state names.

Regardless of which one you want to know, listed below are the meaning and origin of all the Thirty-Six (36) Nigerian State names.

Origin Of Nigerian State Names

1. ABIA

Abia is an acronym derived from the name of the four main groups of the people in the State as at the time it was formed in 1991: Aba, Bende, Isuikuato & Afikpo.

2. ADAMAWA

This State was named after a warrior that conquered the region in the begining of 19th century. His name was Modibbo Adama Bin Ardo Hassan.

3. AkWA IBOM

Akwa Ibom is named after a river, the Qua iboe (or Kwa Iboe) River.

4. ANAMBRA

It was derived from the name of the Oma Mbala. (Omambala) river (in igbo, the native name of the river is??ny?m ?ma Mbala).

5. BAUCHI

There are three versions of how Bauchi got its name. One version says ‘Bauchi’ is Hausa word meaning the southern flanks of Hausaland. Tribes living in the southern parts of Hausaland were refered to as “kasashen bauchi” and the area they lived in later came to be known simply as Bauchi.

Bauchi. According to the second version, the state was named after Baushe, a famous hunter who settled there before the 19th century while the third states that’s ‘bauchi’ is Hausa word for slavery, since it was a center for slave traders.

6. BAYELSA

Bayelsa was formed as a result of clamour from the three LGA’s in old Rivers (Brass LGA known as BALGA, Yenagoa LGA known as YELGA and sagbama LGA- SALGA). The name came about from the combination of their acronymns. BA + YEL+ SA= BAYELSA.

7. BENUE

It is a word from the Batta language ‘Binuwe’ which means ‘Mother of Waters’.

8. BORNO

The name was derived from ‘Borno’, an alternative name of the Kanuris who form the predominant ethnic group in the state.

9. CROSS RIVER

The state took its name from a River called Oyono or Cross River.

10. DELTA

It was named after the delta of the River Niger formed as it enters the Atlantic Ocean.

11. EBONYI

The state was named after the Aboine River that cut through Abakaliki, the State capital.

12. EDO

Named after the Bini people who had always referred to themselves as Edo or Iduu.

13. EKITI

‘Ekiti’ is a term that is said to denote a settlement of many hills.

14. ENUGU

Enugu derived it name from two local words “enu & ugwu” which means ‘top of the hill’.

15. GOMBE

Named after the dialect of Fulani language (Fulfulde) spoken in the area ‘Gombe’.

16. IMO

This state is named after the imo River (Mmiri imo).

17. JIGAWA

The state was named after its distinctively golden-coloured soil, Jigawa.

18. KADUNA

The state was named after the crocodile River. “Kadduna is Hausa plural word for crocodiles.

19. KANO

The state was named after a blacksmith of the Gaya tribe who settled in the area while sourcing for iron stone. His name was Kano.

20. KASTINA

Kastina was named after the wife of the local ruler known as Janzama. Her name was Kastina.

21. KEBBI

Legend has it that Kebbi was named after the Ka’abba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

22. KOGI

The name Kogi was said to have been derived from ‘kogi’. (Hausa word for river). This is to represent the fact that the two biggest river in Nigeria. River Niger and River Benue form a confluence in the state.

23. KWARA

This was named after the River Niger which was forms the Northern Border of the state. The Nupes used to call the river ‘kwara’.

24. LAGOS

The name is a Portuguese word for Lakes. The Portuguese were the first settlers from europe to reach Lagoa in 1472. The name was inspired by the Lagoons and rivers in Lagos.

25. NASARAWA

It was so named by the founder Nasarawa kingdom, Makama Dogo. Nasarawa means victorious.

26. NIGER

Niger Named after the popular river Niger.

27. OGUN

Named after the Ogun River.

28. ONDO

It was named after the settlers of the old Ondo kingdom. Ondo is a word for settlers.

29. OSUN

Like a number of other states in Nigeria, it was named after a river, river Osun.

30. OYO?

It was named after the old Oyo empire.

31. PLATEAU

The state was named from the Jos Plateau.

32. RIVERS

A state with many water bodies. Rivers state was named for many of the rivers presents in the area.

33. SOKOTO

It was named after the defunct Sokoto Caliphate. Sokoto is the Anglicized version of the Arabic word ‘Suk’which means ‘market’ or ‘place of commerce’.