Full List of Smallest States in Nigeria by Land Area

Nigeria is the most populous black nation on Earth and has the fastest growing economy in Africa. With a landmass of 923,768 square kilometres, the nation is among the largest on the continent in terms of geographical size and land area.

Nigeria is a country in west Africa, near the Bight of Biafra, with 36 states and a Federal Capital Territory. Nigeria shares borders with the Benin Republic to the west, Cameroon to the east, Niger to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The southeast, southwest, south-south, northeast, northwest, and north-central zones are the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria.

In this article, we explore the smallest states in Nigeria by land area. We shall also provide the capitals, sizes and even the population figures of each of the Nigerian states.

SMALLEST STATES IN NIGERIA BY LAND MASS

Here is a table showing the states in Nigeria sorted from the smallest to the largest in terms of size, along with their sizes (land area), capitals, and approximate population:

Rank	State	Size (km²)	Capital	Approximate Population
1	Lagos	3,577	Ikeja	21,007,779
2	Bayelsa	9,597	Yenegoa	2,175,530
3	Abia	4,814	Umuahia	3,294,346
4	Anambra	4,844	Awka	2,974,346
5	Imo	5,102	Owerri	4,605,006
6	Oyo	29,556	Ibadan	7,772,497
7	Delta	19,707	Asaba	6,245,005
8	Ondo	20,937	Akure	3,984,692
9	Osun	9,251	Osogbo	4,553,809
10	Ogun	16,762	Abeokuta	4,875,002
11	Edo	18,732	Benin City	4,049,096
12	Rivers	20,294	Port Harcourt	5,148,046
13	Kwara	36,893	Ilorin	3,228,900
14	Enugu	32,559	Enugu	4,113,732
15	Ekiti	3,924	Ado Ekiti	2,433,000
16	Ebonyi	6,400	Abakaliki	3,490,383
17	Benue	31,150	Makurdi	4,841,545
18	Kogi	23,994	Lokoja	4,400,000
19	Plateau	31,809	Jos	4,721,859
20	Kaduna	46,053	Kaduna	9,522,247
21	Nasarawa	27,117	Lafia	2,730,653
22	Taraba	54,473	Jalingo	2,734,989
23	Niger	76,363	Minna	5,273,240
24	Borno	70,898	Maiduguri	6,717,914
25	Katsina	34,892	Katsina	7,728,842
26	Sokoto	30,100	Sokoto	5,569,228
27	Kano	40,000	Kano	12,833,642
28	Zamfara	39,762	Gusau	4,512,697
29	Yobe	46,310	Damaturu	3,070,008
30	Adamawa	36,646	Yola	3,116,414
31	Gombe	20,236	Gombe	3,074,359
32	Kebbi	31,262	Birnin Kebbi	4,611,628
33	FCT	8,000	Abuja	3,097,362

From the above, the top 10 smallest states in Nigeria are:

LAGOS STATE

With a land size of 3,345 km², Lagos is the smallest state in Nigeria by land area. Ibadan, the capital of Oyo state, has a land area of 3,080 km², or over 70% of the total area of Lagos state. Lagos is the wealthiest and most economically active state in the nation, despite this. With a development index of 0.686, the state is also said to be the most developed and technologically sophisticated state in Nigeria.

Lagos is the most densely inhabited state in Nigeria, with a population of over 20 million and a density of 2,500 persons per square kilometre. Its GDP is over $100 billion, and its per capita income is $4,333.

ANAMBRA STATE

The second-smallest state in Nigeria is Anambra by a land area of 4,844 square km². The states bordering Anambra include Delta to the west, Abia to the east, Imo to the south, and Kogi and Enugu to the north. With a population of over 11 million, the state is the eighth most populous in the nation and boasts a sizable and diverse economy.

Among its principal cities are Nnewi, Awka, and Onitsha. The biggest outdoor marketplace in West Africa is located in Anambra state.

With an HDI of 0.656, the state of Anambra is the third most developed in the nation, with a population density of 860 people per square kilometre and a per capita income of $3,200.

IMO STATE

With a land area of 5,530 km², Imo State is the third-smallest state in Nigeria. The states of Abia, Rivers, Anambra, and Enugu encircle the state from the east, south, and west, respectively. The three main industries that impact Imo State’s economy are petroleum, agriculture, and tourism.

Owerri, the capital of Imo state, is among the few cities in Nigeria with the highest concentration of hotels and entertainment venues. The state is the 13th most populous in Nigeria, home to more over four million people and one of the richest Igbo states in the country.

Imo State boasts a GDP of more than $14 billion and a per capita income of $3,527. With a development index of 0.643, the state is the fifth most developed in Nigeria.

EBONYI STATE

Ebonyi is the fourth-smallest state in Nigeria with a land size of 5,533 km² and it is located in the south-eastern geopolitical zone in Nigeria. The states of Benue, Enugu, Cross River, and Abia encircle the state from the north, west, and east, respectively. With more than 3 million residents, Ebonyi State has a population density of 630 persons per square kilometre.

The state has a $16.50 billion economy and a GDP per person of $3,222. Agriculture accounts for the majority of the state’s GDP, and it is the leading rice producer in southern Nigeria. With an HDI of 0.567, Ebonyi is the 20th most developed state in Nigeria.

ABIA STATE

Abia state ranks as Nigeria’s fifth-smallest state with a measurement of 6,320 km² of land area. It shares boundaries with the states of Rivers and Akwa Ibom to the south, Imo state to the west, Cross Rivers state to the east, and Enugu and Ebonyi to the north. Aba, the largest city in the state, is well-known for its trade, production, and craftsmanship, all of which have a significant impact on commerce.

With a population density of 650 people per square kilometre and a land area of 6,320 km2, Abia state is home to nearly four million people. With a GDP of more than 18 billion dollars, a per capita income of $3,003, and an HDI of 0.640, Abia State is the eighth most developed state in Nigeria.

EKITI STATE

The second-smallest state in the Southwest is Ekiti State, even if it ranks as the sixth-smallest Nigerian state with a land area of 6,353 square km². The states of Ondo, Kogi, and Kwara border the state to the north, east, and south, respectively, and Osun borders it to the west.

There are more over two million people living in the 6,353 km² land area size of Ekiti state. The state is the 13th most developed in Nigeria, with a population density of 350 people per square kilometre and a development index of 0.611.

A major part of Ekiti’s economy is driven by trade and agriculture. The state’s GDP exceeds $2 billion, with a per capita income of $1, 169.

AKWA IBOM STATE

With a land area of 7,081 km2, Akwa Ibom State is the smallest state in the southern part of Nigeria. The state’s borders are as follows: Abia state to the north, Cross Rivers state to the east, Rivers and Abia states to the west, and Cross Rivers state to the south.

The population of Akwa Ibom state is about five million, with 770 people per square kilometre. The state’s economy is reliant on manufacturing, agriculture, and petroleum. Uyo is its capital and major city. With a GDP of almost $11 billion, a per capita income of $2,779, and a development index of 0.604, Akwa Ibom is the 17th most developed state in Nigeria.

ENUGU STATE

By land area, the state of Enugu is the largest in the southeast with a measurement of 7,161 square kilometers. The states of Benue and Kogi to the north, Ebonyi to the east, Abia to the south, and Anambra to the west bounded the state geographically.

With a population of nearly three million, the state has 205 persons per square kilometre.

OSUN STATE

With a land area of 9,251 km2, Osun state ranks as the 9th smallest state in Nigeria. Located in the southwest, it bears the name of the Osun River, which traverses the state. Osun is the 19th most populous and smallest state in terms of area out of the 36 states in Nigeria.

Osun and its tributaries, the Oba and Erinle rivers, which flow through the state, are notable geographical features. In addition, the Mona monkey, purple heron, common kestrel, and royal antelope call it home. The Yoruba ethnic group, specifically the Info, Ijesha, Igbemina, Oyo, and Ibolo subgroups, make up the majority of the population in Osun State.

The states of Kwara to the north, Ondo and Ekiti to the east, and Ogun to the west encircle Osun, which is located in the Southwest. With an economy of nearly $7 billion, the state of Osun has a per capita income of $2,076.

With an HDI of 0.609, the state ranks 14th among Nigeria’s most developed states.

BAYELSA STATE

Bayelsa state is next with a land area size of 10,773 km². Located in the southern region of the country, Bayelsa is among the oil producing states of the niger delta region. This implies that the production of petroleum is the state of Bayelsa’s main source of income. Furthermore, Bayelsa is the state in Nigeria where oil was first found.

Yenagoa, Ogbia, Nembe, Opokua, Brass, Sagbama, Southern Ijaw, and Ekeremor are among its eight Local Government Areas. In the state of Bayelsa, the Ijaw language is widely spoken.

Additionally, the Sagbama region is the ancestral home of the Urhobo people.

This state has the greatest reserves of natural gas and crude oil, earning it the moniker “the glory of all lands,” yet it also has severe poverty and pollution from oil. The Atlantic Ocean borders this state’s southern region as well.

THE SMALLEST STATES IN NIGERIA BY POPULATION

In terms of population, which state in Nigeria is the smallest? The smallest state in terms of population in Nigeria is Bayelsa State. The population of Nigeria’s ten smallest states as of the 2019 census is shown in the table below.

State	Population (2019)
Bayelsa State	2,394,725
Nasarawa State	2,632,239
Ebonyi State	3,007,155
Kwara State	3,259,613
Taraba State	3,331,885
Ekiti State	3,350,401
Yobe State	3,398,177
Gombe State	3,623,462
Abia State	3,841,943
Kogi State	4,153,734

Nigeria still remains one of the largest countries in terms of both land area and people. With a population of over 200 million people, Africa’s most populous black country is still plagued with poverty. Lagos still remains the smallest state in Nigeria by landmass, the richest state in Nigeria and the most densely populated state in the country.

CONCLUSION

Every state in Nigeria relies on commerce to keep their economies afloat. Certain states are significantly larger than others. With all of the southeast states appearing on the list of the country’s smallest states, the southeast region is the smallest in terms of area in Nigeria.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)

• Which state is the largest state in Nigeria by land size?

Niger state is Nigeria’s largest state by land area with a size of 76,363 km².

• Which is the smallest state in Northern Nigeria?

Gombe state is the smallest Northern state with a land area of 18,768 km².