Ebonyi State is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, formed from parts of Abia and Enugu state in 1996, and has its capital as Abakaliki. It was one of the six states created in 1996 by the then federal military government of General Sani Abacha.

Ebonyi is one of the smallest states in Nigeria, the 33rd largest in area and 29th most populous, with an estimated population of nearly 2.9 million as of 2016.

History Of All States In Nigeria

Economically, Ebonyi State is based around agriculture, mainly of yams, rice, oil palm, and cassava crops. A key minor industry is mining due to lead, zinc, and limestone deposits around Abakaliki, and locally hand-made baskets of various sizes at Ntezi. Ebonyi has the joint-twentieth highest Human Development Index in the country and numerous institutions of tertiary education.

It has three senatorial zones, the Abakaliki division make up Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central senatorial zones, while the Afikpo, Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo division make up the Ebonyi South senatorial zone. Ebonyi has thirteen local government areas as well as local development centres created by the state government. It is home to eight prominent higher institutions of learning: Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki (EBSU); Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo; Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana; Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu; Federal College of Education (Technical), Isu; Ebonyi State College of Education Ikwo (EBSCOEI); College of Health Sciences, Ezzamgbo; School of Nursing and Midwifery Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Afikpo; School of Nursing and Midwifery Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki[8] and Ebonyi State College of Health and Midwifery (EBSCONMU), Uburu. In 2021, three other Universities were introduced by Governor David Umahi, Aeronautical Engineering and that of Technology in Ezza and Izzi Local Government Areas (LGA), and King David University of Medical Science, Uburu, Ohaozara LGA, Ebonyi State.

All Nigerian States And The State They Share Borders With

There are several Igbo dialects spoken in Ebonyi State which includes Edda, Ehugbo (Afikpo), Izzi-Ezza-Mgbo-Ikwo dialect cluster, Oshiri, Unwara, Akpoha, Okposi, Amasiri, Onicha; and a mixed Igbo and Kogi dialects spoken in Amuda-Okpolo, Ntezi-Okpoto and Effium, which is also similiar with Kukele in Cross River, and Utonkon in Benue States respectively.

Which States Share Border With Ebonyi State?