Kogi State
Kogi State was carved out of the old Kwara and Benue States. The birth of the new State was a reunion of a people who had shared a common history and had co-existed as one polity for a period of over seven decades before being severed by the 1976 States creation exercise. No doubt, Kogi State is abundantly blessed in both human and natural resources.
The creation of the State on the 27th August 1991 by the administration of former President Ibrahim Babangida was a dream fulfilled and one which seeks to put the State on the threshold of rapid socio-economic transformation.The area which today forms Kogi State was a colonial formation then known as Kabba Province which had suffered neglect since independence. It was, therefore, the quest for rapid socio-economic development of the area that informed the decision of the Babangida government in 1991 to create along with eight others, a State out of both Kwara and Benue bringing together families who had been separated by the 1976 states creation exercise into a happy reunion.
Kogi State is made up of the Igala, Kabba, Ebira and Kogi Division of the former Kabba Province. It is the most centrally located State in the country and shares boundaries with the Plateau, Niger and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to the North, Benue and the Anambra States to the East and on the West, it is bordered by Ondo, Kwara, Edo and Enugu States. It is in short, the gateway State with very rich cultural values, great natural endowments and infinite stretches of arable land.
STATE CAPITAL
The state capital, Lokoja is an ancient historical town which once served as the colonial administrative headquarters of Nigeria. It is located on the intersecting point of longitude 70 49’N and latitude 60 44’E on the map of Nigeria. Lokoja town is situated on the slope of a range of hills, Mount Patti. The town in its growth runs down the scope and expands into the Niger River valley. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Niger and Benue. The Kogi State Capital, fast turning into a modern city is bounded on the North and East by the River Niger and on the West by the wooded heights of Mount Patti and South by Ajaokuta. It occupies an area of between twenty and thirty Kilo meters. The state capital, like most others in the country, plays a dual role since it is the administrative headquarters of the Kogi Local Government Area.
In spite of the difficulties in the definition of the Niger-Benue confluence area, there seems to be a general agreement on the various peoples and cultures that inhabit the areas which now form Kogi State. The peopling of the area has been studied in the context of evidence derived from archaeology, physical anthropology, and historical linguistics. It has in this area dates back to the Stone Age.
Lokoja now wears the necessary paraphernalia of a state capital: Government House, State Secretariat, Federal establishments, institutions of higher learning, stadia, industries, increased population and a number of other attributes of a state capital.In spite of the appreciable level of development in Lokoja, billions of naira will still be required to develop the State and give it a befitting face-lift as the nation’s “Midland State” or “gateway”. Though funds are not readily available to ensure the quick realization of this dream, the State is blessed with a crop of dedicated, patriotic, selfless and visionary leaders. Kogi State is a State of diverse cultures and languages but in these diverse cultures lie the strength of the State.
On the whole, the State is heterogeneous in nature with the Ebiras, Igalas and Okun Yorubas forming the major group. The smaller ethnic groupings include Bassa Kwomus, Bassa Nges, Oworo, Nupes, Ogori/Magongo, Egbura Koto, and Kakandas.
GOVERNMENT
Alh. Yhaya Bell
EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR KOGI STATE
Yahaya Adoza Bello was born on June 18, 1975 in Okene LGA, Kogi State as the youngest of six children. He was born to Late Alhaji Bello Ipemida Ochi and Hajiya Hawawu Oziohu.
In 1984, he attended the LGEA primary school, Agasa. And, in 1989, he proceeded to Agassa Community Secondary school, Anyava, Agassa-Okene. He finished his secondary education at Government Secondary School, Suleja-Niger State in 1994.
Then, he proceeded to Ahmadu Bello University, Abu Zaria, where he studied Accounting (B.Sc) and Business Administration (MBA). In 2004, he became a Chartered Fellow of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN).
Yahaya Bello is a Nigerian politician and businessman. He became the 4th democratically elected Governor of Kogi State in 2015, and was sworn-in in January 2016.
In addition, he is the Director of Kogi Youth Arise Forum, a group that motivated the campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari in Kogi State.
Also, he was the managing director of Fair Plus International Ltd. Yahaya Bello is the youngest democratically elected governor in Nigeria, who assumed his first office at age 40.
KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT HOUSE
The Kogi State government house serves as the Official home to the state governor or chief state executive of the state and their families. It is the official venue for events such as the state's executive council meetings, government conferences, swearing in of cabinet members and of course the Governor's official business. It can also be used as receptions and functions hosted by individuals; some arms of the state government also have offices at the state government house.
Agriculture is the main part of the state economy with fishing in the riverine areas like Lokoja, Idah, Ibaji, Ogugu, etc., and the state also has coal, petroleum, limestone, steel and other mineral industries. The main ethnic groups are Igala, Ebira, Bassa Nge and Okun.
- Mineral resources include:
- Coal
- Limestone
- Iron
- Petroleum and
- Tin.
The state is home to the largest iron and steel industry in Nigeria known as Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited and one of the largest cement factories in Africa, the Obajana Cement Factory.
Kogi State consists of twenty-one (21) local government areas.
- Adavi
- Ajaokuta
- Ankpa
- Bassa
- Dekina
- Ibaji
- Idah
- Igalamela-Odolu
- Ijumu
- Kabba/Bunu
- Kogi
- Lokoja
- Mopa-Muro
- Ofu
- Ogori/Magongo
- Okehi
- Okene
- Olamaboro
- Omala
- Yagba East
- Yagba West
- Kogi state is home to the:
- Federal University (Lokoja)
- Kogi State University Anyigba
- Federal Polytechnic Idah
- Kogi State Polytechnic (Lokoja)
- Federal College of Education (Okene)
- College of Education (Ankpa)
- College of Agriculture Kabba
- Kogi state college of education, technical (Kabba) and
- The Private Salem University, Lokoja.
There are a college of nursing and midwifery in Anyigba and Obangede, School of health tech in Idah and ECWA School of Nursing in Egbe.
- COMPLETION OF RURAL ELECTRIFICATION OF PROJECT FOR OLOGBA-DEKINA ITC TOWNS IN KOGI STATE
- SUPPLY OF 2 NOS. 500 KVA AND 1 NO. 300 KVA TRANSFORMERS IN KABBA-BUNU & IJUMU LGAs, KOGI STATE
- STEP DOWN AND PROCUREMENT OF 33KVA TRANSFORMER AT GEGU - EGBA, MANYERE, AND UHANA KOGI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, KOGI STATE
- ELECTRIFICATION OF TAZEYIN, TAWARI - ACHARA - OSUKU KOGI FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, KOGI STATE
- ABUGI - EGGAN RURAL ELECTRIFICATION LOKOJA FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY, KOGI STATE
Kogi State
Slogan
The Confluence State
Capital: Lokoja

Governor