Global InformationList of Nigerian traditional states information
There are many traditional states in Nigeria.[1] A partial list follows. Although the traditional rulers[2] no longer officially have political power, they still have considerable status in Nigeria and the power of patronage.[3] Except where otherwise noted, names of traditional rulers are based on the World Statesmen.org list.[4]
| State | Region | Ethnic Group | Capital | Present ruler | Accession date | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abuja | Now the Suleja Emirate | ||||||
| Abureni Kingdom | Southsouth | Ogbia | Iduma | Collins Ebi Daniel | 2008 | Olila-Ebhugh | |
| Adamawa | North | Fulani | Yola | Muhammadu Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa | 2010 | Lamido | |
| Adara Chiefdom | Middle Belt | Adara | Kachia | Maiwada Galadima | 2007 | Agom Adara | |
| Ado-Odo | Southwest | Yoruba | Ado-Odo | Olusola Idris Osolo Otenibotemole II | 2024 | Olofin Adimula Oodua | Formerly Oba of Ado |
| Agaie | North | Nupe | Agaie | Yussuf Nuhu | 2014 | Etsu | |
| Agbor | South | Ika | Agbor | Benjamin Ikechukwu Kiagborekuzi I | 1979 | Dein | |
| Ake | Southwest | Yoruba | Abeokuta | Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo III | 2005 | Alake | Part of the confederation of Egbaland |
| Akure | Southwest | Yoruba | Akure | Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi | 2015 | Deji | |
| Akwa Akpa | Southeast | Ibibio | Calabar | Bassey Ekpo Bassey II | 2008 | Edidem | |
| Atyap Chiefdom | Middle Belt | Atyap | Zangon Kataf | Dominic Yahaya | 2016 | Agwatyap or Agwam Atyap | |
| Badagry | South west | Gunu/Yoruba | Badagry | De Wheno-Aholu-Menu-Toyi 1 | 1977 | Oba Akran of Badagry | |
| Bade | North | Bade | Gashua | Abubakar Umar Suleiman | 2005 | Mai Bade | |
| Bajju Chiefdom | Middle Belt | Bajju | Zonkwa | Nuhu Bature | 1995 | Agwam Bajju | |
| Bashar State | North | Basharawa | Bashar | Adamu Idris | 1963 | Sarki | |
 Bauchi |
North | Gera/Fulani | Bauchi | Rilwanu Adamu Jumba | 2010 | Emir | |
| Benin | South | Edo | Benin City | Ewuare II | 2016 | Oba | |
| Bichi | North | Hausa | Bichi | Nasiru Ado Bayero | 2019 | Emir | |
 Bida |
North | Nupe | Bida | Yahaya Abubakar | 2003 | Etsu | |
| Biu | North | Bura | Biu | Mustapha Umar Mustapha II | 2020 | Emir | |
| Birnin Gwari | North | Gwari/Hausa | Birnin Gwari | Zubairu Jibrin Mai Gwari II | 1993 | Emir | |
| Bonny | South | Ijaw | Bonny | Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III | 1996 | Amanyanabo | Also called Okolo-Ama |
| Borgu | Middle Belt | Bariba | New Bussa | Muhammad Haliru Dantoro Kitoro IV | 2015 | Emir | Formed by merging Bussa and Kaiama |
 Borno |
North | Kanuri | Maiduguri | Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi | 2009 | Shehu | |
| Brass | Southeast | Ijaw | Brass, Nigeria | Alfred Diete-Spiff | Amayanabo | Once part of Nembe | |
| Bussa | See Borgu | ||||||
| Bwari/Bwaya Kingdom | Middle belt | Gbagyi/Gwari | Bwari/Bwaya Kingdom | Ibrahim Yaro | 2007 | Esu | |
| Calabar (Old) | see Akwa Akpa | ||||||
| Calabar (New) | see Kalabari Kingdom | ||||||
| Damaturu | North | Kanuri | Damaturu | Hashimi II El-Kanemi | Emir | ||
| Daura | North | Hausa/Fulani | Daura | Faruk Umar Faruk | 2007 | Emir | |
| Dikwa | North | Kanuri | Dikwa | Mohammed Masta II Ibn Alamin El-Kanemi[5] | 2010 | Shehu | Divided into Bama and Dikwa Emirates in 2010 |
| Ebira | Middle Belt | Igbirra | Koton Karifi | Shuaibu Mamman Lafiya[6] | 1970 | Ohimegye | |
| Ebiraland | Middle Belt | Ebira | Okene | Ahmed Tijane Anaje | 2024 | Ohinoyi | |
| Edem | South East | Igala/Igbo | Edem | Nwabueze Annekwempaha Ezea II | July 2009 | Eze Edem | The king's traditional salutation is Agaba-Idu. Formerly known as Christopher Nwabueze Ezea II, he took a regnal name on the anniversary of his decennial on the throne. |
| Edo | See Benin | ||||||
| Eko | see Lagos | ||||||
| Ekpeye Kingdom | Southsouth | Igbo | Ekpeye | Robinson Okpoluwon Robinson CON | 1978 | Eze Ekpeyelogbo | |
| Eri | Southeast | Igbo | Aguleri | Chukwuemeka Eri, Ezeora XXXIV | 1976 | Eze Eri | The Custodian of the Sacred Ovo Eri |
| Fantswam (Kafanchan) Chiefdom | Middle Belt | Atyap | Kafanchan | Josiah Kantiyok | 2019 | Agwam Fantswam | Renamed "Zikpak Chiefdom" by the Kaduna State governor, Nasir Elrufai |
 Fika |
North | Bole | Potiskum | Muhammadu Abali Ibn Muhammadu Idrissa | 2009 | Moi | Distinct from the Potiskum Emirate, also based in Potiskum |
| Gobir | North | Hausa/Fulani | Sabon Birni | Sarkin | Originally a Hausa city-state, conquered by the Fulani in the 19th century | ||
| Gombe | North | Fulani | Gombe | Abubakar Shehu Abubakar | 2014 | Modibo | |
| Gujba Emirate | North | Manga | Gujba | Shettima Muktar Ibn Ali Gangaram | 2000 | Emir | Formerly part of the Fika Emirate |
| Gumel | North | Hausa/Fulani | Gumel | Ahmad Muhammad Sani dan Maina Muhammad | 1981 | Emir | |
| Gusau | North | Hausa/Fulani | Gusau | Muhammadu Kabir Danbaba | 1997 | Emir or Sarkin Katsina | The rulers of Katsina and Maradi also use the title "Sarkin Katsina" |
| Gwandu | North | Hausa/Fulani | Gwandu | Muhammadu Iliyasu Bashar | Emir | ||
| Hadejia | North | Hausa/Fulani | Hadejia | Adamu Abubakar Maje | 2002 | Emir | |
| Ham (Jaba) Chiefdom | Middle Belt | Ham | Kwoi | Jonathan Gyet Maude | 1974 | Kpop Ham | |
| Ibadan Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Ibadan | Owolabi Olakulehin | 2024 | Olubadan | |
| Idah | see Igala | ||||||
| Idoani | Southwest | Yoruba | Idoani | Olufemi Olutoye | 2014 | Alani | |
| Idoma Kingdom | Middle Belt | Idoma | Otukpo | Elias Ikoyi Obekpa Och'Idoma IV | Och'Idoma | ||
| Igala | Middle Belt | Igala | Idah | Idakwo Ameh Oboni II | 2012 | Attah | |
| Igbomina Kingdom | Middle Belt | Yoruba | Omu-Aran | Abdulraheem Oladele Adeoti (Olomu Efon II) | 1993 | Olomu | Related to the Igbomina state in general |
| Ijebu Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Ijebu Ode | Sikiru Kayode Adetona Ogbagba II | 1960 | Awujale | |
| Ijebu-Remo | Southwest | Yoruba | Sagamu | Babatunde Adewale Ajayi | 2017 | Akarigbo | See also Ijebu Kingdom, List of the Lords of Remo |
| Ijesaland | see Ilesa | ||||||
| Ikale Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Ikoya Ikale | George Faduyile, Adegun ll | 1998 | Abodi | Paramount Rulers of Ikale land Okitipupa, Irele and Odigbo local government |
| Ikateland Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Lagos | Alayeluwa Saheed Ademola Elegushi, Kusenla II | 27 April 2010 | Oba | House of Kusenla |
| Ile Ife | Southwest | Yoruba | Ife | Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II | 2015 | Ooni | One of the two ranking Yoruba monarchs |
| Ilesa Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Ilesa | Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II | Owa | ||
| Ilorin | Middle Belt | Yoruba/Fulani | Ilorin | Ibrahim Sulu Gambari | Emir | ||
| Ipokia Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Ipokia | Raufu Oladeinde Adetunji Adeole Onigbaale III | 1985 | Onipokia | |
| Iroko Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Iroko | Olasunkanmi Abioye Opeola, Kurunloju I | 2011 | Oniroko | |
| Isedo | Southwest | Yoruba | Ila Orangun | Oyedeji Ajide | Obalumo | Related to the Isedo Clan (with its own Obalumo) of the Igbomina state of Oke Ila Orangun | |
| Isinkan | Southwest | Yoruba | Isinkan | Iralepo | |||
| Itele | Southwest | Yoruba | Itele, Ijebu-East | Mufutau Adesanya Kasali Iboriaran I | 2003 | Moyegeso | See also Ijebu Kingdom, Jones Adenola Ogunde Adeyoruwa II reigned until 1996 |
| Itsekiri | see Kingdom of Warri | ||||||
| Jajere Emirate | North | Fulani | Tarmuwa | Hamza Mai Buba Ibn Isa Mashio | 2000 | Emir, Mai, Lamido or Sarkin Jajere | divided into Jajere & Ngelzarma Emirates |
| Jama'are Emirate | North | Hausa/Fulani | Jama'are | Muhammadu Wabi IV dan Muhammadu Wabi | 1975 | Emir | |
| Jema'a Emirate | Middle Belt | Hausa/Fulani | Jema'a | Muhammadu dan Isa | 1999 | Emir | |
| Jos | Middle belt | Berom | Jos | Jacob Gyang Buba | 2009 | Gbong Gwom | |
| Jukun | see Wukari | ||||||
| Kagara Emirate Kagoro |
Middle Belt | Hausa/Fulani Atyap |
Kagoro | Alhaji Ahmad Garba Gunna Attahiru II
|
2021
|
Emir
|
A diarchy |
| Kaiama | Merged with Bussa into Borgu | ||||||
| Kalabari | Southsouth | Ijaw | Buguma | Amanyanabo | |||
 Kano |
North | Hausa/Fulani | Kano | Aminu Ado Bayero | 2020 | Emir | |
| Karu Kingdom | Middle Belt | Gbagyi/Gwari | Karu | Luka Panya Baba | 2004 | Esu | |
| Katagum | North | Fulani/Kanuri | Katagum | Umar Muhammadu Kabir Umar | 2017 | Emir | |
| Katsina | North | Hausa/Fulani | Katsina | Abdulmumini Kabir Usman | 2008 | Emir or Sarkin Katsina | The rulers of Gusau and Maradi also use the title "Sarkin Katsina" |
| Kazaure | North | Hausa/Fulani | Kazaure | Najib Husaini Adamu | Emir | ||
| Keana Chiefdom | Middle Belt | Agatu | Keana | Abdullahi Amegwa | 2016 | Osana of Keana | |
| Kebbi | North | Hausa/Fulani | Birnin Kebbi | Sama'ila Muhammad Mera | 1996 | Amir Argungu | |
| Keffi Emirate | Middle Belt | Hausa/Fulani | Keffi | Muhammadu Cindo Yamusa II | Emir | ||
 Kontagora |
Middle Belt | Hausa/Fulani | Kontagora | Muhammad Bara'u Mu'azu | 2021 | Sarkin Sudan | |
| Kupa | Middle Belt | Kupa/Nupe | Abugi | Muhammadu Kabiru Isah II | 1967 | Maiyaki | |
| Lafia | North | Kanuri | Lafia | Sidi Bage | 2019 | Emir | Sarkin Lafia |
| Lafiagi Emirate | Middle Belt | Nupe | Lafiagi | Mohammed Kudu Kawu | 2021 | Etsu | Fulani jihad state founded 1824 |
| Lagos | Southwest | Yoruba | Lagos | Rilwan Babatunde Osuolale Aremu Akiolu I | 2003 | Oba | Formerly known as Eko |
| Lapai | Middle Belt | Nupe | Lapai | Umaru Bago Tafida | 2002 | Etsu | |
| Lere | Middle Belt | Lere | Umaru Mohammed Sani | Emir | |||
| Machina | North | Manga | Machina | Bashir Albishir Bukar[7] | Emir | ||
| Misau Emirate | North | Kanuri/Fulani | Misau | Ahmed Suleiman | 2015 | Emir | |
| Moroa | Middle Belt | Atyap | Manchok | Tagwai Sambo | 1966 | Agwam Asholyio | |
| Mubi Emirate | Middle Belt | Mubi | Abu Bakar Isa Ahmadu | Emir | |||
| Muri Taraba | Middle Belt | Hausa/Fulani | Muri Taraba | Abbas Tafida[8] | 1988 | Emir | |
 Nasarawa Emirate |
Middle Belt | Hausa/Fulani | Nasarawa | Ibrahim Usman Jibril | 2018 | Emir | |
| Nembe | Southsouth | Ijaw | Nembe | Edmund Maduabebe Daukoru, Mingi XII | 2008 | Amanyanabo | |
| Nembe Bassambiri | Southsouth | Ijaw | Bassambiri | Amanyanabo | |||
| Ningi | North | Hausa/Fulani | Ningi | Yunusa Muhammad Danyaya | Chief | ||
| Nnewi | Southeast | Igbo | Nnewi | Kenneth Onyeneke Orizu III | 1963 | Igwe | |
| Nri | Southeast | Igbo | Agukwu | Enweleana II Obidiegwo Onyeso | 1988 | Eze Nri | Holder of the highest and most revered ofo in Igboland, the Ofo Nri-Menri. |
 Obioko Kingdom |
Southeast | Obioko | Ekpo Eyo Abassi Eyo III | 2008 | Obong | ||
| Oke Ila Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Oke Ila | Olufemi Oladapo Babalola | Obalumo | Related to the Igbomina state of Isedo | |
| Oke-Ona Egba | Southwest | Yoruba | Abeokuta | Adedapo Adewale Tejuoso Karunwi III | 1989 | Oshile | Part of the confederation of Egbaland |
| Okolo-Ama | Otherwise known as Bonny since colonial times | ||||||
| Okpe | South-South | Urhobo | Orerokpe | Orhue I | 2006 | Orodje | |
| Okrika | Southeast | Okrika | Alfred Semenitari Abam Ado IX | 2002 | Amanyanabo | ||
| Ondo | Southwest | Yoruba | Ondo | Adesimbo Victor Kiladejo | 2006 | Osemawe | |
| Onitsha | Southeast | Igbo | Onitsha | Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe | 2002 | Obi | |
| Orlu | Southeast | Igbo | Orlu | Patrick II Acholonu | 2009 | Igwe XI, Duru IX | |
| Oshogbo | Southwest | Yoruba | Oshogbo | Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun | 2010 | Ataoja | |
| Owerri | Southeast | Igbo | Owerri | Emmanuel E. Njemanze | 1989 | Ozuruigbo | |
| Owo | Southwest | Yoruba | Owo | Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III | 2019 | Olowo | |
| Owu | Southwest | Yoruba | Abeokuta | Olusanya Adegboyega Dosunmu II | 2005 | Olowu | Part of the confederation of Egbaland |
| Oyo | Southwest | Yoruba | Oyo | Alaafin | One of the two ranking Yoruba monarchs | ||
| Pategi | Middle Belt | Nupe | Pategi | Umar Bologi II | 2019 | Etsu | |
| Potiskum | North | Ngizim | Potiskum | Umar Bubaram[9] | Emir | Not to be confused with the Fika Emirate, based in the same town | |
| Rano | North | Hausa/Fulani | |||||
 Sokoto |
North | Hausa/Fulani | Sokoto | Sa'adu Abubakar | 2006 | Sultan | See also List of Sultans of Sokoto |
| Suleja | Middle Belt | Hausa/Fulani | Suleja | Awwal Ibrahim | 2000 | Sarkin Zazzau | Formerly Abuja Emirate |
| Tiv | Middle belt | Tiv | Gboko | James Ayatse | 2016 | Tor Tiv | |
| Tula Chiefdom | Middle Belt | Tula | Kaltungo, Gombe | Abubakar Buba Atare II | 2009 | Mai | |
| Ubani | see Bonny | ||||||
| Ugbo-Igbo | Southeast | Igbo | Ugbo town | Godwin Ebem Udeonu | October 1978 | Igwe | |
| Ugbo Kingdom | Southwest | Yoruba | Ilaje | Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan | 2009 | Olugbo | |
| Ughelli Kingdom | Southsouth | Urhobo | Otovowodo | Ajuwe Oharisi III | 1992 | Ovie | |
| Warri | Southsouth | Itsekiri | Ode-Itsekiri | Ogiame Atuwatse III | 2021 | Olu | Olu of Warri. See also kingdom of Warri 1478 |
| Wase | Muhammadu Sambo Haruna | October 2010 | Emir | Fulani Emirate | |||
| Wukari | Middle Belt | Jukun | Wukari | Manu Ishaku Ada Ali | 28 January 2022 | Aku Uka | |
| Yauri | North | Hausa/Fulani | Yauri | Muhammad Zayyanu | Sarkin | ||
| Zamfara Emirate | North | Hausa/Fulani | Gusau | Muhammad Attahiru Ahmad | Sarkin | ||
| Zaria | Alternate name for Zazzau Emirate | ||||||
 Zazzau |
North | Hausa/Fulani | Zaria | Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli | 2020 | Sarkin | The ruler of the Suleja Emirate also uses the title "Sarkin Zazzau" |
- ^ "Nigerian Traditional States". www.worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
- ^ Simwa, Adrianna (2022-08-30). "Kings and their titles in Nigeria: List of traditional rulers". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
- ^ Chris Ewokor (1 August 2007). "Nigerians go crazy for a title". BBC News. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
- ^ "Traditional States of Nigeria". WorldStatesmen.org. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
- ^ Abdulkareem Haruna (28 March 2010). "Kingmakers Crown New Shehu of Dikwa". Daily Independent. Retrieved 2010-09-01.
- ^ PIUS ALAO (2009-10-26). "Otaru Tasks Ebira Nation On Unity". Nigerian Observer. Archived from the original on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ^ "Machina Emirate Council". Machina Emirate. Archived from the original on 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2010-09-02.
- ^ Tashikalmah Hallah (13 July 1988). "Emir of Muri Crisis Resolved - Nyame". Daily Trust. Retrieved 2010-09-04.
- ^ Japhet Madaki (9 August 2010). "Mai Potiskum hails appointment of Bauchi Emir". Peoples Daily. Retrieved 2010-09-01.