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Abakaliki | |
|---|---|
 Abakaliki with Azugwu Hill in the background | |
 Interactive map of Abakaliki | |
  Abakaliki Location in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates:6°20′N8°06′E / 6.333°N 8.100°E /6.333; 8.100 | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| State | Ebonyi State |
| Population (2022)[1] | |
• City | 223,000 |
| • Metro | 662,000 |
| National language | Igbo |
Abakaliki (Listenⓘ) is the capital city ofEbonyi State in southeasternNigeria, located 64 kilometres (40 mi) southeast ofEnugu.[2] The inhabitants are primarily members of theIgbo tribe.[3] It was the headquarters of theOgoja province before the creation of the Southeastern State in 1967.
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The name Abakaliki originally means 'Aba Nkaleke' and is the name of a community in Izzi land (Nkaleke).
Abakaliki was an important centre for the slave trade in the 17th century.[4] The slave trade continued in the area withAro raids into Abakaliki and surrounding areas through the 18th century.[5]
TheOdozi Obodo Society was a secret cult that operated between 1954 and 1958 in Abakaliki.[6]
Abakaliki, as in the past, is a centre of agricultural trade including such products asyams,cassava,rice, and bothpalm oil andpalm kernels.[3] It is also known for its locallead,zinc,salt, andlimestone mining or quarrying.[3][2] They host a golf course and many hotels. There are also isolatedpoultry andegg production farms across the state.[3]
The last known population of Abakaliki was 223,000 (year 2022). The population of the metro area was estimated to be 662,000 (year 2023).[7]
Abakaliki is generally populated by the Igbo people. Abakaliki is predominantly populated by the Northeastern Igbo of the Afikpo-Abakaliki axis.[8] Abakaliki is also used to refer to people of old Abakaliki political block comprising Ohaukwu-Ishielu-Izzi-Ezza-Ikwo.
The dry season in Abakaliki is hot, muggy, and partially cloudy while the wet season is warm, welcoming, but overcast. The temperature rarely falls below 58°F or rises over 92°F throughout the year, often fluctuating between 65°F and 89°F.[9][10][11]
Abakaliki lies at the intersection of theEnugu,Afikpo andOgoja Roads.[3] Abakaliki also hosts a Federalhospital,[12] which has largely contributed to the affordability of public healthcare delivery in the city and the state. There have been massive infrastructural developments ongoing in the urban centre in recent years; these include road construction, shopping malls and market places, trans-African Highway fly-over bridges atPresco andSpera-in-Deo junctions, amongst others.
Ebonyi State University main campus is located on the outskirts of the city.
Abakaliki people like other southeastern Nigerians are predominantly Christian. Other religious faiths like Traditionalist, Islam, etc. are practiced by handfuls of natives as well as non-natives from other parts of the country. Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Anglican and Pentecostal missions are the dominant Christian faiths. On March 1, 1973, the city was made the seat of theRoman Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki.[13]
6°20′N8°06′E / 6.333°N 8.100°E /6.333; 8.100
State capital:Abakaliki | ||
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