THE DESCRIPTION OF AWKA 

Geography of Awka

Akwa local government area lies below 300 meters above the sea in a valley located on the plains of the Mamu River. Having two ridges or cuestas, with both lying in a north–south direction, form the main topographical features of the area.

Awka local government area is situated in a fertile tropical valley but most sites involving the original Rain forest have been lost due to clearing for farming and inhabitant settlement. An example of the original rainforest is a place called the Ime Oka shrine.

History of Awka

Awka local government area is one of the oldest settlements in the land of Igbo, it was established at the center of the Nri civilization, which produced the first documented bronze works in Sub-Saharan Africa, around 800 A.D., and it was the cradle of the civilization of the Igbo at large.

The earliest dwellers of Awka were the Ifiteana people, the name Ifiteana when translated means ‘people who sprouted from the earth.’ The people were renowned as farmers, hunters, and also adept ironworkers.

 Economy of Awka

The economy of Awka local government area revolves primarily around the government since many state and the federal institutions are located there. Awka local government area hosts the State Governor’s Lodge, State Judiciary headquarters, State Assembly and State Ministries for Health, Education, Waters, Lands.

The Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) which has both a TV and radio station is located in the local government center. Also a number of federal institutions including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has a currency center in Awka local government area, the NTA Awka media station, and the branches of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigerian Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Commission, and Corporate Affairs Commission are also situated in the city.

Description of Anambra 

The state of Anambra can be found in the southeast of Nigeria. On August 27, 1991, the state was officially founded. The states of Delta, Imo, Enugu, and Kogi lie to the west, south, east, and north of Anambra, respectively. 

There are more than 4.1 million people living in the state, according of the 2006 census. Omambala River, a major waterway in the state, inspired the state's naming in 1976, when it gained independence from East Central State. The name Anambra is derived from the Yoruba word Omambala. Awka, the state capital, is a fast expanding city with a projected population of 3 million by the year 2020, up from an estimated 300,000 in 2006. Onitsha, a pre-colonial port city, is still an important economic hub in the state. 

Anambra State, also known as the "Light of the Nation," has the eighth-highest population in the United States, though this is hotly contested because Onitsha, the state's largest and most populous urban area, was found to have more than 5 million residents in 2019 by Africapolis, making it the second-largest urban area in Nigeria and the third-largest in Africa. Despite being the second smallest state in size, Anambra is home to a large population. Since at least the 9th century AD, the territory now known as Anambra State has been home to many different cultures. One of these was the ancient Kingdom of Nri, whose capital was the historic town of Igbo-Ukwu. Most people living in Anambra State are of the Igbo ethnic group, and the Igbo language is widely spoken there. 

Anambra State was a territory of the Republic of Biafra, a breakaway nation created by Igbo nationalists during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970). Anambra State suffered a devastating famine throughout the war, killing off a large percentage of the population. Anambra State has made great efforts in recent years toward eliminating poverty, and it is now a highly urbanized state. 

Geographical description of Anambra 

As of 2015, more than 60% of Anambra State's population resided in urban areas, with that number expected to rise by 2.21 percent year. It's a highly urbanized region, ranking among the top 5 in Nigeria. 

Onitsha, which includes Okpoko town; Ogbaru; Nnewi; and Awka, the state capital, are the major urban centres of Anambra state. Urban centers like Awka and Onitsha emerged prior to colonial rule; Awka became the major industrial center of the Nri empire. Onitsha is a city-state on the Niger River that grew in importance as a river port and commercial hub. 

Onitsha is a thriving commercial center, and its sprawling metropolitan area now includes the local government areas (LGAs) of Idemili, Oyi, and Anambra East, and is home to one of the largest markets in all of West Africa. 

It was in 2012 that the tri-city area began being referred to as the Onitsha-Nnewi-Awka (ONA) Industrial Axis in light of the increasing number of factories in the region. The city of Nnewi, Nigeria, is a thriving commercial and industrial hub that has been compared to Taiwan. Awka's administrative prominence from before colonialism has returned now that it has been named the state capital. 

Location 

The states of Delta, Imo, Rivers, Enugu, and Kogi form the western, southern, eastern, and northern boundaries, respectively. The Anambra River (Omambala), a tributary of the Niger, serves as the inspiration for the name of this region. 

The Igbo are the state's original inhabitants, and they make up 99.9% of the population. A small percentage of the population is bilingual, and they are concentrated in the northwestern part of the state. 

Located in southeastern Nigeria, Anambra is the second-most populous state in terms of population density, behind only Lagos State. Numerous densely populated villages and small towns dot the more than 45 km between Oba and Amorka, resulting in a population density of between 1,500 and 2,000 people per square kilometer. 

The state of Anambra is rich in agricultural opportunities, including fishing, farming, and pasture land. 

Petroleum and Natural Gas 

In 2006, the first commercial refinery in Nigeria, Orient Petroleum Refinery (OPR), held a foundation-laying ceremony in the Aguleri area. 

Owner Orient Petroleum Resource Ltd (OPRL) received permission from the Federal Government in June 2002 to build a private refinery with a capacity of 55,000 barrels per day (7,500 t/d). 

In 2012, Governor Peter Obi and other Orient Petroleum players succeeded in turning Anambra State become an oil-producing state. The oil was discovered in the Anambra River basin by a local firm. 

Orient Petroleum Resources Plc's management announced on 2 August 2015 that the business aimed to expand crude oil production to 3,000 barrels per day by September 2015, in part by increasing output at two newly drilled oil wells in the Aguleri oil fields. Nails and Stanley Ltd, a local firm, planned to set up shop in Umueje, AyamelumLocal Government Area, and build a gas plant to fuel the region's booming oil and gas sector. 

Economy of Anambra

In Anambra, agriculture is a major economic driver. Plants like oil palms, corn, rice, yams, and cassava are cultivated. Additionally crucial is going fishing. 

Located in Nnewi, the state of Anambra is home to the first Nigerian vehicle manufacturer, Innoson. 

Onitsha attracts businesspeople from all over West Africa, increasing the country's GDP thanks to the increased sales tax collection. 

There is a lot of original thinking and ground-breaking work being done in Anambra. The state of Anambra has seen a boost to its GDP as a result of its many new inventions and the high value placed on education. One of these was in 2018 when brothers Atikpo and Ubaka Chukwuebuka invented a machine to remove the bitterness of bitter leaf (a highly nutritious vegetable).  Using this tool, the state's vegetable farmers will be able to harvest many more vegetables per year. 

A potential of one thousand trillion cubic feet of gas reserves lies untapped in the Anambra Basin, one of Nigeria's most promising oil and gas fields. Orient Petroleum and Sterling Oil Exploration and Production Co. LTD (SEEPCO) are just two of the indigenous companies that are helping to make Anambra state one of the top crude oil producers in the world thanks to its over 13 oil wells.