*Abia*
Abia is an acronym derived from the name of the four main groups of people in the state as at the time it was formed in 1991: Aba Bende Isuikwuato Afikpo.

*Adamawa*
This state was named after a warrior that conquered the region in the begining of the 19th century. His name was Modibbo Adama Bin Ardo Hassan.

*Akwa-Ibom*
Akwa Ibom is named after a river, the Qua Iboe (or Kwa Iboe) River.

*Anambra*
It was derived from the name of the Oma Mbala (Omambala) River (in Ibo, the native name of the river is Ànyịm Ọma Mbala).

*Bauchi*
There are three versions of how Bauchi got its name. One version says ‘Bauchi’ is Hausa word meaning the southern flanks of Hausaland. Tribes living in the southern parts of the Hausaland were referred to as kasashen bauchi and the area they lived in later came to be known simply as Bauchi. According to the second version the state was named for Baushe, a famous hunter who settled there before the 19th century while the third states that ‘bauchi’ is Hausa word for slavery since it was a center for slave raiders.

*Bayelsa*
Bayelsa was formed as a result of the clamour from the three LGAs in old Rivers (Brass LGA known as BALGA, Yenegoa LGA known as YELGA and Sagbama LGA – SALGA). The name came about from the combination of their acronymns. BA + YEL + SA = BAYELSA

*Benue*
It is a word from the Batta language ‘Binuwe’ which means ‘Mother of Waters’.

*Borno*
The name was derived from ‘Borno’, an alternative name of the Kanuris who form the predominant ethnic group in the state.

*Cross River*
The state took its name from a River called Oyono or Cross River.

*Delta*
It was named for the delta of the River Niger formed as it enters the Atlantic Ocean.

*Ebonyi*
The state was named after the Aboine River that cuts through Abakaliki, the state capital.

*Edo*
Named after the Bini people who had always referred to themselves as Edo or Iduu.

*Ekiti*
‘Ekiti’ is a term that is said to denote a settlement of many hills.

*Enugu*
Enugu derived its name from two local words enu ugwu which means ‘top of the hill’.

*Gombe*
Named after the dialect of Fulani language (Fulfulde)spoken in the area ‘Gombe’.

*Imo*
This state is named after the Imo River (Imo Mmiri).

*Jigawa*
The state was named after its distinctively golden-coloured soil, Jigawa.

*Kaduna*
The state after the crocodiles in Kaduna River. Kadunas is Hausa plural word for crocodiles.

*Kano*
The state was named after a blacksmith of the Gaya tribe who settled in the area while sourcing for ironstone. His name is Kano.

*Katsina*
Katsina was named after the wife of the local ruler known as Janzama. Her name was Katsina.

*Kebbi*
Legend has it that Kebbi was named after the Ka’abba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

*Kogi*
The name Kogi was said to have be derived from ‘kogin’, hausa for river. This is to represent the fact that the two biggest Rivers in Nigeria, River Niger and River Benue form a confluence in the state.

*Kwara*
This was named after the River Niger which forms the Northern border of the state. The Nupes used to call the river Kwara.

*Lagos*
The name is a Portuguese word for lakes. The Portuguese were the first set of Europeans to reach Lagos in 1472. The name was inspired by the lagoons and rivers in Lagos.

*Nassarawa*
It was so named by the founder of Nasarawa kingdom, Makama Dogo. Nasarawa means Victorious.

*Niger*
Named after the popular River Niger.

*Ogun*
Named after the Ogun River.

*Ondo*
This was named after the settlers of the old Ondo Kingdom. Ondo is a word for settlers.

*Osun*
Like a number of other Nigerian states, it was also named after a river; River Osun.

*Oyo*
It was named after the Old Oyo empire.

*Plateau*
The state was named for the Jos Plateau.

*Rivers*
A state with many water bodies, Rivers State was named for many of the rivers present in the area.

*Sokoto*
Named after the defunct Sokoto Caliphate. Sokoto is the anglicized version of the Arabic word ‘suk’ which means ‘market’ or ‘place of commerce’.

*Taraba*
The state was named after the Taraba River.

*Yobe*
The state was named after Komadugu Yobe (Waube or Ouobe) or River Yobe (or River of Yo).

*Zamfara*
Zamfarawa is one of the subdialects of Eastern Hausa linguistic group.


Lalasticlala

informative!

Sambisa nko?
Cos dat one don turn to state too

Thanks Op..very informative!

@op, I don't know how correct your information about how States derive there names are, but I can authoritatively fault that of Kebbi state!

Kebbi was derived from the name Kabbe or Bakabbe(singular) or kabawa (plural).

This is the indigenous name of the two major Emirates out of the four that make up Kebbi State. Argungu and Gwandu Emirates. They are known as the Kabawas or the the Owners of Fishes.

The other two Emirates are Yauri and Zuru. Though they are not Kabawas.

It might also interest you to know that both Argungu and Gwandu Emirates extends beyond the borders of Nigeria, far into Karakara, and Dosso in Republic of Niger.

Kebbi indigines saw the kabawas from Niger Republic as one of there own, that is why you hear about somebody being a commissioner in Nigeria and later returning to Niger to take another political position.

Bottomline, Kebbi was derived from kabawa and not from your Kaaba.

Thank you.

informative! educative!

Nawa oo, dem jes dey name state after gutters, streams, rivers, seas, oceans and lakes.

no wahala sha reppin AKWA IBOM.

AKWA IBOM MMA!

Is either they river your state or they warrior your state.....this country should be called RIVERWARRIOR OR WARRIORRIVER

Blessed naija

Sokoto - the inhabitants of that region are known for dere distinctive trousers. Hence, sokoto

OP, ON AKWA IBOM YOU ARE WRONG, AKWA IBOM WAS NAME AFTER GOD(AKWA ABASI IBOM), MEANING GREAT GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, IT IS THE POPULAR CHURCH IN AKWA IBOM(QUA IBOE CHURCH) THAT WAS NAME AFTER QUA IBOE RIVER BECAUSE OF THE STRESS THE MISSIONARIES PASSED THROUGH CROSSING THE RIVER WHILE COMING TO OPEN A CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY.

Educative

Cool

what can you see ?

Great!

2RUTHHURTS:
OP, ON AKWA IBOM YOU ARE WRONG, AKWA IBOM WAS NAME AFTER GOD(AKWA ABASI IBOM), MEANING GREAT GOD OF THE UNIVERSE, IT IS THE POPULAR CHURCH IN AKWA IBOM(QUA IBOE CHURCH) THAT WAS NAME AFTER QUA IBOE RIVER BECAUSE OF THE STRESS THE MISSIONARIES PASSED THROUGH CROSSING THE RIVER WHILE COMING TO OPEN A CHURCH IN THE COMMUNITY.

Akwa Ibom was named after the river Qua Iboe. The church was also named after the river

buskie13:
what can you see ?

I see the posting of someone who voted APC but now regrets it

Orobo2Lekpa:


Akwa Ibom was named after the river Qua Iboe. The church was also named after the river

OP, FOR THIS ONE WHICH AM 100% SURE I DOUBT THE OTHERS, HOW WOULD U TELL US THAT AKWA ABASI IBOM STATE MEANING GREAT GOD OF THE UNIVERSE STATE THAT WE WERE SINGING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL WAS NAME AFTER QUA IBOE RIVER IN IBENO L.G.A, YOU EVEN SPELLED QUA IBOE RIVER "KWA IBOE" TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE AKWA IBOM, PLEASE LEARN TO TAKE CORRECTION. THE FULL NAME OF THE STATE IS AKWA ABASI IBOM STATE, ASK ANY BODY FROM AKWA IBOM. IT WAS QUA IBOE CHURCH WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1887 WAS NAME AFTER QUA IBOE RIVER BY THE MISSIONARIES.

I fault that of Kaduna. As it's a stolen history from the gwari people who Sattle in Kaduna first and the name is from there dialect, how the Hausa man came up with crocodile is what an still wandering