Niger is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria. It is the largest state in the country by area. The state capital is Minna. Other major cities are Bida, Kontagora and Suleja. Niger state was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was divided into Niger State and Sokoto State. It is home state of two former Nigerian military heads of state— Ibrahim Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar. The Nupe,Gbagyi, Kamuku, Kambari, and Hausa form the majority of numerous indigenous tribes of Niger State, With Nupe been the largest and dominant tribe of the State. Other tribes in the state are Adara, Koro Gungawa, and Hun-Saare. Nupe people are the oldest tribe in Niger State, They are believed to have inhabited the areas their now identified with since time immemorial this have been dated 9,000B.C or 40,000 years ago, thus making them one of the world's oldest civilizations.

The state is named after the River Niger. Two of Nigeria's major hydroelectric power stations, the Kainji Dam and Shiroro Dam, are located in Niger State, along with the new Zungeru Dam. The Jebba Dam straddles the border of Niger state and Kwara state. The famous Gurara Falls is in Niger State, and Gurara Local Government Area is named after the Gurara River, on whose course the fall is situated. Also situated there is Kainji National Park, the largest National Park of Nigeria, which contains Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve and the Zugurma Game Reserve.

Like most Nigerian states, Niger State is governed by a democratically-elected Governor, who is currently Mohammad Umar Bago. The governor works with the Niger State House of Assembly. The capital city is Minna.

The state has three Senatorial Zones/Districts: Niger East, Niger North, Niger South.

The governor is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two -third of the State local government Areas. If no candidate passes threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government Areas.

The state has 25 Local Government Areas, each headed by a local government chairman. They are divided into districts, each with a district head while villages are headed by village heads.

The local government areas are:

Tertiary educational institutions in Niger state include:

• Federal College of Education, Kontagora
• Federal Polytechnic, Bida
• Federal University of Technology Minna
• Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai
• Niger State College of Education Minna
• Niger State Polytechnic, Zungeru

Federal Highways are:

• A1 north from Ilorin in Kwara State across the Niger River by a four-lane bridge at Jebba for 388 km as part of the African Unity Road (TAH2: Trans-African Highway 2) to Kontagora, then via Ibeto to Yelwa in Kebbi State.
• A125 continuing TAH2 east from A1 at Kontagora via Tegina to Kaduna State at Gishiri.
• A124 east from A1 north of Mokwa via Bida and Agaie as the Bida-Abuja Rd to Abuja, FCT at Kudan.

Two roads to Benin:

• The Wana-Babana Rd at Babana to Basso.
• Agwara Tungar Jatau Swate Maje Rd from Agwarra via Konkwesso to RNIE 7 to Ségbana.

Other Major Roads include:

• The Minna-Tagbari Rd northeast to Kaduna State as the Chibian-Zazaga-Sarkin Pawa Rd
• The Minna-Bida Rd
• The Mararaba-Makutu-Mapi Rd southeast from Minna via Matumbi and Paiko to A124 at Daga
• Yelwa-Mokwa Rd across the Niger River by a bridge from Kato to Jinjima

Railways:

the Western Line north from Lagos via Ibadan and Ilorin across the Niger River at Jebba by a 547 m bridge (1915) via Minna to Kaduna, with a branch line from Minna 155 km to the port of Baro on the Niger River, which is connected with Kano by the Northern Line.

Airports:

• Minna Airport

Niger State has abundant natural resources, including:

Languages of Niger State listed by LGA:

LGA	Languages
Agaie	Nupe; Dibo
Agwara	Cishingini
Bida	Nupe; Hausa; BassaNge; Gbari
Borgu	Busa; Bisã; Boko; Cishingini; Laru; Reshe
Chanchaga	Basa-Gumna; Basa-Gurmana; Gbagyi; Gbari; Nupe; Kamuku; Tanjijili
Edati	Nupe; BassaNge
Bosso	Gbayi; Gwari
Gbako	Nupe
Gurara	Gwandara; Gbagyi
Katcha	Nupe; Dibo; Kupa
Kontagora	Hausa; Acipa; Eastern; Asu; Tsishingini; Tsuvadi
Lapai	Nupe; Dibo; Gbagyi/Gbari; Gupa-Abawa; Kakanda; Kami;
Magama	Dukkawa Lopa; Tsikimba; Tsishingini; Tsuvadi
Mariga	Baangi; Bassa-Kontagora; Cicipu; Kamuku; Nupe; Rogo; Shama-Sambuga; Tsikimba; Tsishingini; Tsuvadi
Mashegu	Asu; Tsikimba; Tsishingini; Nupe-Tako
Minna	Gbagyi; Gbari; Nupe
Mokwa	Nupe; Hausa; Yoruba; Gbari
Munya	Adara
Paikoro	Gbagyi/Gbari; Kadara
Rafi	Basa-Gurmana; Bauchi; Cahungwarya; Fungwa; Gbagyi; Gbari; Kamuku; Pangu; Rogo; Shama-Sambuga
Rijau	Dukkawa Fulani; C'Lela; Tsishingini; Tsuvadi; ut-Hun
Shiroro	Gbagyi
Suleja	Gbagyi; Gbari
Tafa	Gbagyi
Wushishi	Gbagyi; Gbari; Nupe

The state has very warm climate with a yearly average of 34° Celsius. It is warm or hot all year, but there are few typically tropical and sultry months, although humidity is sometimes uncomfortably high in June to September. The best time for traveling is from November to April, when there is less rain. The rainiest days occur in May to October. September has the rainiest days, and December the least. January is the sunniest month, and August the least sunny.

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  Niger state secretariat
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  Mobil Junction
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  Bahago Roundabout
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  St. Michael Catholic Cathedral Minna
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  Welcome to Minna
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  An Inland valley rice production near Bida, Niger State

• List of governors of Niger State
• List of villages in Niger State
• Niger State Local Government Areas

Media related to Niger State at Wikimedia Commons

• Official portal
• News on Niger State