Bayelsa State: List of Local Government Areas & Towns

Bayelsa state is a coastal state and one of thirty-six states in Nigeria. This article will give an overview of the state and it local government areas. We’ll likewise outline the respective towns that are situated in these local government area in Bayelsa state.

Overview

Bayelsa is a coastal state in southern Nigeria that is situated between Delta State and Rivers State, in the core Niger Delta region of the country. The state has a total of 8 local government areas with a state capital is Yenagoa. Bayelsa state is one of the newest states in Nigeria, as it was created in 1996 from part of Rivers State. Initially, Bayelsa state was in the old Rivers state, until when the former was created out on March 1, 1996 by the Sani Abacha’s military government.

The name ‘Bayelsa’, was derived from the first few letters of the names of the major local government areas that were present when the state was formed – Brass LGA (BALGA), Yenagoa (YELGA) and Sagbama (SALGA).

Bayelsa state is dominated by Ijaws, a riverine tribe in Nigeria, and there are also some other distinct tribes in the state. Hence, it makes the state to have variants of languages. The main language spoken is Ijaw with dialects such as Kolukuma, Mein, Bomu, Nembe, Epie-Atisa, and Ogbia are also spoken by their tribes. However, English is the official language of Bayelsa state, like the rest of Nigeria.

Agriculture, precisely Fishing is the major economic activity engaged by the local population of the state. Others engage in commercial and subsistence farming of crops. Since oil was first discovered in Bayelsa State, they have been one of the largest crude oil and natural gas producing state in Nigeria. And consequently it results to extensive petroleum production in the state. However, the majority of the occupants live below standard irrespective of the availability of these resources. The Bayelsa State government is also a major employer in the state, as it enroll most of it citizens in the state civil service.

Bayelsa is an oil producing state and thus has a riverine and estuarine setting. This is seen as a lot of communities in the state are almost completely surrounded by water, making them inaccessible by road. The state is home to the last known site for chimpanzees in the Niger Delta, the Edumanom Forest Reserve.

Bayelsa has a number of important cities in their domain. The state’s capital Yenagoa is a distinct example of good cities in the state. The other notable cities in Bayelsa state include Akassa, Lobia, Amassoma (which houses the state’s owned Niger Delta University), Eniwari, Ekeremor, Aliebiri, Peretoru, Twon-Brass, Egwema- Brass, Kaiama, Nembe, Odi, Ogbia, Okpoama, Brass, Oporoma, Otuan, Sagbama, Olugbobiri, Peremabiri, and Swali. Our article will elaborate more cities and towns in Bayelsa sate, to complement this few.

List of Local Government Areas and Towns in Bayelsa State

Bayelsa state has 8 local government areas and well as towns. Below are all LGA in Bayelsa state and their respective towns:

Brass Local Government Area

Brass LGA as a local government area in Bayelsa State, has its administrative headquarter in the coastal town of Twon-Brass on Brass Island. The LGA has a coastline of approximately 90 km on the Bight of Bonny, and a large area of the LGA is occupied by the Edumanom National Forest.

Notable towns in Brass LGA include:

• Okpoama
• Sangana
• Odioma
• Ewoama
• Konsho
• Cape-Farmosa.

Ekeremor Local Government Area

Ekeremor local government area is located along Bayelsa State boundaries. It borders the distant Delta State and has a coastline of approximately 60 km on the Bight of Bonny. The LGA has a principal administrative headquarter in the town of Ekeremor.

There are other towns in Ekeremor LGA, and a few of them include:

• Eduwini
• Oporomor
• Oyiakiri
• Tarakiri.

Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area

Kolokuma/Opokuma is one of the few Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. A good part of the area of this LGA is occupied by the Bayelsa National Forest. In terms of geopolitical division, Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA falls under Bayelsa Central Senatorial zone of the state. The LGA has it headquarters in the town of Kaiama.

Other towns in Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA include:

• Asaingbene
• Ayibabiri
• Gbaran-Ama.

Nembe Local Government Area

Nembe LGA is a popular Local Government Area in Bayelsa State. The LGA has an headquarter in Nembe, a prominent riverine town in the state.

Nembe LGA has some other notable towns which include;

• Oluasiri
• Okoroma
• Ogbolomabiri
• Bassambiri
• Igbeta-Ewoama
• Ikensi
• Mini.

Ogbia Local Government Area

Ogbia LGA is one of the prominent local government area in Bayelsa State. The local government is the home of former Nigeria president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Ogbia LGA administrative headquater is located in the Town of Ogbia.

Other notable towns in Ogbia LGA include the following:

• Ogbia
• Okodi
• Ologi
• Obibiri
• Kolo
• Anyama
• Imiringi
• Opume
• Otakeme
• Otuabula
• Otuasega
• Emeyal.

Sagbama Local Government Area

Sagbama LGA is a local government in Bayelsa state and is under Bayelsa West Senatorial District of the state. The administrative headquater of the LGA is in the town of Sagbama.

There are other towns in Sagbama LGA which include:

• Otoni
• Sagbama
• Ossiama
• Adagbariri
• Adoni
• Agbere
• Asamabiri
• Angalabiri
• Ebedebiri
• Osekwenike
• Agoro
• Toru-Ebeni
• Trotani

Southern Ijaw Local Government Area

Southern Ijaw LGA has an administrative headquarter located in the Town of Oporoma, and the LGA is under Bayelsa Central Senatorial district of the state.

Prominent towns in Southern Ijaw LGA include:

• Olodiama
• Otuan
• Ukubie West
• Amassoma
• Apoi
• Boma
• Foropa
• Koluama

Yenagoa Local Government Area

Yenagoa LGA is the capital local government area of Bayelsa state. The LGA doubles as the state capital and as well as a Local Government Area.

As a developed area, there are many towns in Yenogoa LGA, which include:

• Attissa
• Biseni
• Gbarain
• Okoraia
• Zarama
• Epie
• Ekpetiama.

Conclusion

These are the towns in Bayelsa state, and we have stated the local government area in the state which they fall to. This is the size of this article as we’ve given a brief about Bayelsa state and the local government areas and towns in the riverine state. We believe that you have got a clue on which town to visit in Bayelsa State.