The name "Abia" is an abbreviation of Abia state's four densely populated regions Aba, Bende, Isuikwuato, and Afikpo. Abia's slogan is "God's own state". Abia is one of the 36 states in Nigeria, and has seventeen Local government areas. It was created on 27 August 1991 out of Imo State by General Ibrahim Babangida, and it is located in the south-eastern part of Nigeria with Umuahia as the capital, and Aba as the commercial city.
Abia State's history begins as part of the Aro Confederacy until its defeat in the early 1900s by the British troops during the Anglo-Aro War. After the war, the area was incorporated into the Southern Nigeria Protectorate of British Nigeria. After Nigeria's independence in 1960, Abia became part of the Eastern Region until 1967 before the region was split, and it became part of the East Central State. The Eastern Region attempted to secede in Nigerian Civil War with Abia as part of the secessionist state of Biafra. After the war and the then reunification of Nigeria, the East Central State was merged until 1976 when Imo including Abia, was formed by Murtala Muhammed. Eastern Imo would later become the old Abia State after a split. In 1996, part of Abia's northeast was removed to form a part of the new Ebonyi.
Abia State occupies about 4902 square kilometres. It is bounded on the north and northeast by the states of Enugu for about 25km, and Ebonyi for 70km (43 miles), Cross River State for about 52km (partly across Cross River) and Akwa Ibom State for 151km (94 miles) to the east and southeast respectively, Rivers State to the south and west for 87km (54 miles), Imo State and Anambra to the west for to the west in the vicinity of the Imo River) for about 18km and about 104km respectively. The southernmost part of the State lies within the Niger Delta Swamp Forests, while the rest of the state, lies within the Cross–Niger transition forests.[8] The southern portion gets heavy rainfall of about 2,400 millimetres (94in) per year and it is intense between the months of April through October.[9] The most important rivers in Abia State are the Imo and Aba Rivers which flow into the Atlantic Ocean through Akwa Ibom State.[10]
Environmental Issues
Solid waste
Municipal solid waste management (MSWM) deals with the collection, storing, treatment and disposal of solid waste, to ensure that it does not affect humans, living things and the environment at large. There are factors that influence Municipal solid waste generation such as income level, local climatic condition, urbanization and economic development.[11] MSW in Aba, Abia State is classified into;
Domestic waste (waste from households, food centers, markets, and commercial premises)
Industrial waste (excluding toxic waste that requires special handling)
Institutional waste (waste from government establishments, schools, hospitals and recreational facilities
In recent times, it was reported that Aba and Umuahia generate up to two hundred and seventy truckloads of domestic and commercial waste daily. This information was made known to the public by Governor Alex Otti during his inauguration speech after taking the baton of government from the former governor, Okezie Ikpeazu.[12]
Climate
Aba experiences a warm and gloomy wet season as well as a scorching and oppressive dry season. The temperature rarely drops below 61°F (16°C) or rises over 91°F (33°C) throughout the entire year, fluctuating between 68 and 88°F (20 and 31°C).[13][14]
The beach/pool score indicates that the best time of year to visit Aba for hot-weather activities is from late November to early February.[15][16]
In Aba, the rainy season is warm and cloudy, the dry season is hot and largely gloomy, and the climate is uncomfortable all year long. The average annual temperature ranges from 68°F to 88°F, with occasional exceptions when it falls below 61°F or rises over 91°F.[13][17]
Since Aba experiences so small seasonal temperature variations, talking about the hot and cold seasons isn't very helpful.[18][19]
Demographics
Religion
The residents of Abia state are predominantly Christians.
Churches Umuahia Catholic Diocese (1958) with 70 parishes is under Bishop Michael Kalu Ukpong (2022) and Aba Diocese (1990) with 90 parishes under Bishop Augustine Ndubueze Echema (2019) , both suffragans of Owerri Archdiocese.
There are also other pentecostal churches located within Abia State including Living Faith Church which has more than 100 branches within the state.
Economy
Crude oil and gas production is a prominent activity, as it contributes over 39% of the State's GDP.[20] However, the indigenous oil companies – through the Marginal Fields Programme (MFP) – have not found it easy to attract the requisite funding and infrastructural capacity, to explore some of the marginal oil fields which are about 50 in the State.[21]
The manufacturing sector only accounts for 2% of the GDP.[20] The industrial centre of the state is in Aba, with textile manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, soap, plastics, cement, footwear, and cosmetics.[8] In addition to the above, Abia State Government has just built a 9,000 capacity multipurpose International Conference Centre in Umuahia. This edifice of international standard was built by Governor T.A. Orji, to enhance tourism as well as boost the state economy, through hosting of major International and Local events.
There are over 100 oil wells and 3 installed flow stations in Abia State.[21][22] There is also an associated gas plant, Abia/NNPC gas plant.[22] As of 2012, boundary Commission said it returned 42 oil wells from neighbouring Rivers State to Abia.[22] This makes Abia the fourth largest oil-producing state in the country.[22] Oil giant, Shell, holds most of the licenses for the wells in the State, and has concentrated on the estimated 50 wells that are considered high-yield.[21]
The state produced 36,000 barrels of crude oil per day; "Imoturu produces 23,000 barrels per day and Isimili flow station produces over 8,000 barrels of crude oil per day.[23] Then four oil wells in Izaku go to Obigo flow station. About 30 oil wells from my village go to Umuri, and about eight oil wells from Umurie go to Afam", said Samuel Okezie Nwogu, Chairman of Abia State Oil Producing Development Area Commission (ASOPADEC). However, the State has complained of poor funding from its oil revenue federal allocation.[22]
Education
Abia state's public and private secondary schools, according to a document by the Ministry of Education, had a student–teacher ratio of 8:1 to 12:1 from 2013 to 2016 school year.[24] All school divisions must adhere to educational standards set forth by the Abia State Ministry of Education.[citation needed] In 2016, 13,699 students (5,512 males and 8,187 females) were enrolled in public schools while 14,798 (7,068 males and 7,730 females) were enrolled in private schools. In 2017, 13,351 students (5,517 males and 7,834 females) were enrolled in the public schools, while 39,280 students (19,260 males and 20,020 females) were enrolled in private schools. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, there exist As of 2016[update], 168 public school and 194 provate schools, and As of 2017[update] 233 public schools and 1,095 private schools.[25]
In 2016, 3859 students graduated from public high schools while 5419 graduated from private schools. In 2017, 3691 graduated from public schools while 11,707 graduated from private schools.[25]As of 2025[update] Goodluck Ubochi serves as the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education while Uche Eme serves as the Commissioner for Tertiary Education.[26]
Abia State University, founded in 1981 is the only state university and the oldest in Abia.[30] Lux Mundi University became the first private university in Umuahia, the state capital.[31] In 2024, the state under Governor Alex Otti, adopted a policy of free and compulsory basic education for all the state's residents as well as non-indigenes which took effect in January 2025.[32][33]
The rail transport is also available in the state very effective. Aba is connected to Port Harcourt by rail. Umuahia is connected to Aba and Enugu by rail.[8] The coastal parts of the State are equally accessible using boats and canoes.
Federal Highways are;
A3 northeast from Port Harcourt (Rivers State) via Umuahia, Umuokwara (Imo State) and across the north of Abia State again via Lokpaukwu to Enugu State,
Southeast from Okigwe to Amiyi-Uhu (Ogboro Junction) to Amaba
The Ahaba-Umunekwu east and south from Amaba as the Ohafia-Ogo Ubi-Agu Eze Rd to join the Umuahia-Ohafia Rd,
The Umuahia Rd south to Akwa Ibom,
The Obohia-Azumini Rd east to Akwa Ibom,
North from A3 at Uzuaku to Owaza (Rivers State),
The Asa-Akwere-Obohia Rd west from A3 at Obehie Junction to Owaza
The Eberi-Umu Uyo Rd southwest from A6 at Umuvo to Rivers State.
Politics
The State Government is led by a democratically elected Governor who works closely with members of the state's House of Assembly. The capital city of the state is Umuahia,[34] and there are 17 local government areas in the state.
In 1999, Nigeria returned to democracy, and Orji Uzor Kalu was elected governor on the platform of the People's Democratic Party. Consequently, he was sworn in on 29 May 1999. In 2003, when it was time for fresh elections, Kalu re-contested on the platform of the PDP and got a second mandate to govern (the Constitution of Nigeria limits Governors to two terms in office). At the end of Kalu's term in 2007, Theodore Orji (PPA) defeated Onyema Ugochukwu (PDP) in the 2007 gubernatorial election, to become Abia's next Governor. In 2011, Theodore Orji defected from the PPA to the PDP before being re-elected for another four-year term later that year.
In 2023, Alex Otti of the Labour Party Nigeria (LP) emerged as the eleventh governor of the state having defeated the candidate of the PDP in a fiercely contested race.[38]
Electoral system
The electoral system of each state 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.[39]
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