Description of Enugu State

Located in Nigeria's South-East geopolitical zone, Enugu State (Igbo: ra Enugu) shares borders with Ebonyi State to the east and southeast, Abia State to the south, and Anambra State to the west. The state is named after its largest and most populous metropolis, Enugu.

According to 2016 estimates, Enugu's population of more than 4.4 million places it at number 22 among the 36 states in terms of population. Towards the south, you'll find the swamp forests of the Niger Delta, while the rest of the state is a dry forest-savanna mosaic with patches of savanna in Guinea. The Udi-Nsukka Plateau and the Ekulu River, which passes through the city of Enugu, are two other significant geographical features.

Although the Igbo are the most numerous, other tribes such as the Idoma and the Igala may be found in Etteh Uno, which is now part of modern-day Enugu State. The area that is now Enugu State was previously a part of the medieval Kingdom of Nri and the Aro Confederacy, based in Arochukwu, until the Aro Confederacy was overthrown by British troops in the early 1900s during the Anglo-Aro War. After the war, Britain annexed the region as part of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate, which eventually joined with British Nigeria in 1914; after the merger, Enugu became a symbol of anti-colonial resistance following the 1949 killing of striking coal miners in the Iva Valley.

Prior to its incorporation into the East Central State in May 1967, the present-day Enugu area was a part of the post-independence Eastern Region, which had been established after Nigeria's independence in 1960. With what is now Enugu State as part of the secessionist state of Biafra, the former Eastern Region tried secession less than two months later, during the three-year long Nigerian Civil War. Enugu, the state capital, was taken by federal forces in October 1967, and the rest of the state was battled over until June 1968. After the war ended and Nigeria was reunited, the East Central State was reconstituted until the Murtala Muhammed dictatorship founded Anambra State in 1976, which included the modern-day city of Enugu. Anambra State was split in two fifteen years later, with the eastern half becoming Enugu State and the western half becoming Ebonyi State. In 1996, a portion of the eastern half of Enugu State was split off to become a part of the new Ebonyi State.

Commercial and service industries complement agriculture in Enugu State, which focuses on staples such yams, rice, cocoyam, oil palm, and cassava. Coal mining in the Udi Hills, which surround the city of Enugu, was a significant secondary industry. Igboland, the cultural region comprising ethnically Igbo communities, centers on the state of Enugu, which has the tenth highest Human Development Index in the country.

Geography

One of the states in eastern Nigeria, Enugu sits at the base of the Udi Plateau. The states of Abia and Imo lie to its south, Ebonyi to its east, Benue to its northeast, Kogi to its northwest, and Anambra to its west. 

The state capital of Enugu, Enugu is located at the crossroads of routes coming from Aba, Onitsha, and Abakaliki, and is served by a railroad from Port Harcourt, 150 miles (240 km) to the south-southwest. About a four-hour drive would get you there from Port Harcourt, Nigeria's coal export hub. A trading center in Nigeria, Enugu is also conveniently close to Onitsha, one of the largest commercial cities in Africa, and Aba, another extremely large commercial city, both of which are reachable in under two hours by car. The average temperature ranges from a comfortable 17 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter to a scorching 28 degrees Celsius (high 80 degrees Fahrenheit) in the summer.

Located at an elevation of roughly 223 meters (732 ft) above sea level, Enugu enjoys favorable soil-land and climate conditions throughout the year because to its well-drained soil even during the rainy seasons. The warmest month, February, sees average highs of around 87.16 °F (30.64 °C) in Enugu State, while the coolest month, November, sees lows of around 60.54 °F (15.86 °C). February typically receives the least amount of rain, at around 0.16 cubic centimeters (0.0098 cu in), while July typically receives the most rain, at around 35.7 cubic centimeters (2.18 cu in).

Economy

The majority of the state's working population is involved in agriculture, making farming the state's primary economic activity. However, the retail and service sectors are also significant contributors to the economy (12.9% and 18.8%, respectively).

Retail and wholesale trade are the most common types of work in metropolitan areas, followed by service work. A sizable minority of residents work in manufacturing; this is especially true in the cities of Enugu, Oji, Ohebedim, and Nsukka. The state capital of Enugu also features a bustling market known as Ogbete Main market, and smaller markets can be found in each of the state's divisional centers. Most farmers in the North Central States of Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, and Plateau bring their goods to the Orie Orba Market, one of the main grains markets East of the Niger, to sell to customers in the South East and South South regions of Nigeria. Prices for grains and other farm products are extremely low, and enormous quantities are available, every four days.