Niger State State nickname: The Power State
Location
Statistics
Governor (List)	Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu (PDP)
Date Created	3 February 1976
Capital	Minna
Area	76,363 km² Ranked 1st
Population 1991 Census 2005 estimate	Ranked 18th 2,482,367 4,082,558
GDP (PPP)  -Total  -Per Capita	2007 (estimate) $6.00 billion $1,480
ISO 3166-2	NG-NI

Niger State is a state in the western part of Nigeria and the largest state in the country. The state capital is Minna, and other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was bifurcated into Niger State and Sokoto State.

The state is named for the River Niger. Two of Nigeria's major hydroelectric power stations, the Kainji Dam and the Shiroro Dam, are located in Niger State; also situated there is Kainji National Park, the largest National Park of Nigeria, which contains Kainji Lake.

Government

Like the majority of Nigerian states, it is governed by a Governor and a House of Assembly. Under the administration of Mu'azu Aliyu Babangida on January 13, 2000, the state has adopted sharia law as the code of law, even though the population of the state has been historically evenly divided between Muslims and Christians.

Administrative subdivisions

Niger State is divided into 25 Local Government Areas

Agaie Agawara Bida Borgu Bosso	Chanchaga Edati Gbako Gurara Katcha	Kontagora Lapai Lavun Magama Mariga	Mashegu Mokwa Moya Paikoro Rafi	Rijau Shiroro Suleja Tafa Wushishi

External links

• News on Niger State

References