History

Ibeno Local Government Area was created out of the defunct Uquo-Ibeno Local Government Area on December 4, 1996, by the Federal government instrument.

Before the creation of Uquo-Ibeno Local Government Area, the people of Ibeno were in Eket Local Government Area – Ibeno Edoh, Uquo Ibeno respectively. Ibeno Local Government Area has thus graduated from being part of Eket Local Government area to part of Ibeno-Edor with headquarters at Inua-Eyet Ikot Ibeno (now defunct) to being part of Uquo Ibeno with headquarters at Uquo (now headquarters of Esit Eket Local Government Area) to a distinct and separate local government area, Ibeno Local Government Area with headquarters at Upenekang. It is one of the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom State.

The prime occupation of the people is fishing. However, farming and petty trading enjoy appreciative notice. The presence of oil exploration activities by oil giant Exxon Mobil and other service companies influence activities both upstream and downstream.

Geography

beno occupies the largest Atlantic coastline, more than 129 km, in Akwa Ibom State.

Located in the mangrove swamp forest, the area has rain throughout the year with the peak between May and September. The climatic condition in Ibeno is favorable all year round for fishing and farming.

Ibeno Beach, the longest in West Africa, is a popular tourist attraction

Language

The people speak Ibeno dialect of the Efik–Andoni language. The need to establish trade links with the Efik people meant that the Andoni people that settled in present day Ibeno had to coin the language to suit. The people of Ibeno are of Oron–Efik extraction.

Culture

Ibeno people are rich in cultural heritage. The people have many age-long traditional institutions like Ekpe, Obon, Uke, Ekong, Akata, Eka-Ebitu, Ubom Isong, Oluo, Ikini and the age-grade system (Nka) which is highly recognized and practised in Ibeno