Kaduna is the capital city ofKaduna State, and the former political capital ofNorthern Nigeria. It is located in north-westernNigeria, on theKaduna River. It is a trade center and a major transportation hub as the gateway to northern states ofNigeria, with its rail and important road network.[3][4]
The population of Kaduna was put at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census.[5] Rapid urbanization since 2005 has created an increasingly large population, and as of 2024, the city has an estimated population of 1.2 million people.[6]
The wordKaduna is said to be a corruption of the Hausa word for "crocodiles",Kadduna in theHausa language (kaduna being the plural form).[7] Another version of the etymology of the name proposes a link to theGbagyi word/name 'Odna', meaning 'river'.[8]
Kaduna was founded byBritish colonists in 1900.[9] The first British governor of Northern Nigeria, SirFrederick Lugard, chose the present site for development due to its proximity to theLagos-Kano Railway.[10] It became the capital of Nigeria's formerNorthern Region in 1917,[11] and retained this status until 1967. The city is still influential as the headquarters of various political, military and cultural organizations, especially in Northern Nigeria.[12]
In 1976, when the GeneralMurtala Mohammed administration created seven new states in Nigeria, North Central State, with capital at Kaduna, was renamed Kaduna State. It was made up of the two colonial period Provinces ofZaria andKatsina. When in 1991, the number of states in the country was increased from twenty-one to thirty, Katsina Province became Katsina State, while the old Zaria Province became the new Kaduna State. There are twenty-three local government areas (LGAs) in the state, although the number of ethnic groups is much larger.[13]
Kaduna is a major industrial center in Northern Nigeria, manufacturing products liketextiles,machinery,steel,aluminum,petroleum products andbearings.[14] However, the textile industry has been in decline due to recent Chinese imports and factory closures caused by years of neglect across many administrations. Other light manufactures include:plastics,pharmaceuticals,leather goods, furniture, and televisions.[10]Agriculture is also a major industry in Kaduna, and as such, the Bank of Agriculture has its headquarters in the city.[15] Some main agricultural exports include: cotton, peanuts, sorghum, and ginger.[16] Kaduna also has a branch of theNigerian Stock Exchange.[10]Automobile manufacturing also remains an important part of Kaduna's economy.[17] Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria has anassembly plant in Kaduna.[18] Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), one of Nigeria's four mainoil refineries is located in Kaduna. It is supplied by a pipeline from theNiger Delta oil fields.[10][19]
A 2009World Bank survey states that Kaduna is one of the top six cities with the highestunemployment. 20% of the population was estimated to be unemployed.[17]
The infrastructure network in the city was upgraded by the administration of GovernorNasir el-Rufai with an underpass, flyover structures and streetlight facilities. Kaduna has an inland dry port.[22] The Nigerian military has several formations and institutions in the city including theNigerian Defence Academy,[23] and the Air Force Institute of Technology.
The city is served byKaduna International Airport. The airport commenced operations in 1982.[24] The Nigerian Air Force maintains a presence in the city.[25][26]
Kaduna is popularly known as the centre of learning, as evident from the numerous educational institutions located in the state. Tertiary Institutions in Kaduna city include:
Administration of the state started with the concept of Provincial Administration and Native/Local Authority systems. However, in 1976 the Mohammed Administration introduced the Local Government Area system (LGA) which delegated some responsibilities to the elected/appointed councillors. With each successive Federal Military Administration, the number of the LGAs in Kaduna State increased from fourteen in the early 1980s to the present twenty-three in 1998. In each LGA, smaller units such as districts and wards, are recognised.[13]
The Kaduna region has a tropical climate. The summers have a lot more rain than the winters do. The predominant climate in this area is categorised as Aw by the Köppen-Geiger scale. Kaduna's yearly mean temperature is 25.2 °C, or 77.4 °F. A total of 39.3 inches or 998 mm of precipitation falls per year.
Due to its proximity to the equator, Kaduna's summers are difficult to characterise. January, February, March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December are the finest months to travel.[43]
Climate data for Kaduna (1991-2020, extremes 1951-1965 & 1991-2020))
^"Klimatafel von Kaduna / Nigeria"(PDF).Baseline climate means (1961-1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Retrieved14 July 2016.
Nigeria
Media related toKaduna at Wikimedia Commons
