Gombe State | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Seal | |
 Location of Gombe State in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates:10°15′N11°10′E / 10.250°N 11.167°E /10.250; 11.167 | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| Date created | 1 October 1996 |
| Capital | Gombe |
| Government | |
| • Body | Government of Gombe State |
| • Governor | Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya (APC) |
| • Deputy Governor | Manasseh Daniel Jatau (APC) |
| • Legislature | Gombe State House of Assembly |
| • Senators | C:Mohammed Danjuma Goje (APC) N:Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo (PDP) S:Anthony Yaro (PDP) |
| • Representatives | List |
| Area | |
• Total | 18,768 km2 (7,246 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 22nd of 36 |
| Population (2006 census)1 | |
• Total | 2,365,040[1] |
• Estimate (2022[2]) | 3,960,100 |
| • Rank | 33rd of 36 |
| • Density | 126.01/km2 (326.38/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | |
| • Year | 2021 |
| • Total | $13.58 billion[3] |
| • Per capita | $3,553[3] |
| Time zone | UTC+01 (WAT) |
| Postal code | 771100 |
| ISO 3166 code | NG-GO |
| HDI (2022) | 0.466[4] low ·29th of 37 |
| Website | gombestate |
| ^1 Preliminary results | |
Gombe State (Fula:𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤺𞤮𞤥𞥆𞤦𞤫Lesdi Gommbe;Tangale:Kwambe) is astate innortheasternNigeria, bordered to the north and northeast by the states ofBorno in the vicinity ofGongola River and LakeDadin Kowa andYobe in the vicinity of Gongola River, to the south byTaraba State, to the southeast byAdamawa State, and to the west byBauchi State.Gombe is the state capital of Gombe state and it was formed from a part ofBauchi State on 1 October 1996.[5] Of the 36 states in Nigeria, Gombe is the22nd largest in area and the32nd most populous, with an estimated population of about 3.25 million as of 2016.[6] The state bears a slogan "Jewel in theSavannah".[7]
Geographically, the state is within thetropicalWest Sudanian savanna ecoregion.[8] Important geographic features include theGongola River — which flows through Gombe's north and east intoLake Dadin Kowa — and part of theMuri Mountains, a small range in the state's far south. Among the state's nature endowments are a number ofsnake species, includingcarpet viper,puff adder, andEgyptian cobra populations along withhippopotamus,Senegal parrot, andgrey-headed kingfisher populations.[9][10]
The state is inhabited by variousethnic groups, primarily theFulani people living in the north and center of the state, and theTangale, living in the Southern and Central part of the state, while the state's diverse eastern and southern regions are populated by the Cham,Dadiya,Jara,Kamo,Pero,Tangale,Tera,Lunguda andWaja peoples. Religiously, between 65% and 70% of the state's populations are Muslim while the Christian minority comprises between 30% and 35%.[11]
In thepre-colonial period, the area that is now Gombe State was split up between various states until the early 1800s when theFulani jihad seized much of the area to the Northern Gombe and formed theGombe Emirate under theSokoto Caliphate while theTangale seized the Southern Area to establish their Maidom which has traceable history toElKanemi - Maiduguri migration. In the 1910s,British expeditions occupied theEmirate and the surrounding areas, incorporating them into theNorthern Nigeria Protectorate which later merged intoBritish Nigeria before becoming independent asNigeria in 1960.[12] Originally, modern-day Gombe State was a part of the post-independenceNorthern Region until 1967 when the region was split and the area became part of theNorth-Eastern State. After the North-Eastern State was split,Bauchi State was formed in 1976 alongside ten other states. Twenty years afterwards, a group of LGAs in Bauchi's west were broken off to form the new Gombe State.
Economically, Gombe State is largely based aroundagriculture, mainly ofsorghum,maize,groundnuts,millet,beans,rice andtomatoes mostly in the Central and Southern axis. Other key industries are services, especially in the city ofGombe, and the herding ofcamels,cattle,goats, andsheep which are predominantly in the Northern axis of the state. Gombe has thefourth lowestHuman Development Index andone of the lowestGDPs in the country.[13]
The state has an area of 20,265 km2 and a population of around 2,365,000 people as of 2006.[1]
It was formed in October 1996, from part of the oldBauchi State by theAbacha military government.[14][5] The state is located in Nigeria'sGuinea savannah and Sudan savannah belts. Undulating hills, sandy rocks, and a few volcanic rocks make up the landscape. Its location in the northeastern zone, right within the expansive savannah, allows the state to share common borders with the states ofBorno,Yobe,Taraba,Adamawa andBauchi.[15]
Gombe has two distinct climates, the dry season (November–March) and the rainy season (April–October) with an average rainfall of 850mm.[16]
Gombe State consists of elevenlocal government areas. They are:[17]
| LGA | Area (km2) | Census 2006 population | Administrative capital | Postal code |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akko | 2,627 | 337,853 | Kumo | 771 |
| Balanga | 1,626 | 212,549 | Tallase | 761 |
| Billiri | 737 | 202,144 | Billiri | 771 |
| Dukku | 3,815 | 207,190 | Dukku | 760 |
| Funakaye | 1,415 | 236,087 | Bajoga | 762 |
| Gombe | 52 | 268,000 | Gombe (city) | 760 |
| Kaltungo | 881 | 149,805 | Kaltungo | 770 |
| Kwami | 1,787 | 195,298 | Mallam Sidi | 760 |
| Nafada | 1,586 | 138,185 | Nafada | 762 |
| Shongom | 922 | 151,520 | Boh | 770 |
| Yamaltu/Deba | 2,181 | 355,248 | Deba | 761 |
Gombe State is a multi-ethnic society that consists of the majorityFulani andTangale tribe, who inhabit the northern, southern and central parts of the state, but in reality Fulani are the largest tribe in Gombe State. The Fulani are in 6 while the Tangle are also in 2 out of the 11 Local Government Areas of the state. These includeDukku,Funakaye,Nafada,Akko, kwami and Gombe LGAs while for Tangale it includes Billiri and Kaltungo LGAs. Apart from the Fulani and The Tangale. Other ethnicities include theHausa, Tula,Longuda (Lunguda), Dadiya, Waja, Bangunji, Filiya, Awak,Tera (Yamaltu-Deba),Waja,Bolewa, andKanuri, with their different cultural as well as lingual affiliations.[18]
75-80% Muslim, 20-25% Christian, including theAnglican Diocese of Gombe (1999) led by BishopCletus Tambari (2020), within theProvince of Jos of theChurch of Nigeria. The Roman Catholic Diocese of Bauchi (1996) includes Gombe with 92,620 followers in 28 parishes under Bishop Hilary Nanman Dachelem (as of 2017).
The state government is led by a democratically elected governor who works closely with members of the state's House of Assembly.[19]
The capital city of the state isGombe.[20]
The electoral system of each state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of the state local government areas. If no candidate passes the threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas.[19]
Languages of Gombe State, listed by LGA:[21]
| LGA | Languages |
|---|---|
| Akko | Fulani, Jukun, Tangale |
| Balanga | Bangwinji, Centúúm, Dadiya, Dera, Dikaka, Dza, Kyak, Longuda, Moo, Tangale, Tso, Waja |
| Billiri | Tangale |
| Dukku | Fulani, Bolewa |
| Funakaye | Fulani |
| Kaltungo | Awak, Tangale, Tula, Kamo, Yuwar, Cham |
| Kwami | Fulani, Kanuri |
| Nafada | Fulani, Bolewa |
| Shongom | Tangale, Kushi, Moo, Loo, Wurkun, Pipero |
| Yamaltu-Deba | Tera, Fulani(katsinawa)} |
The state is headed by the Executive GovernorMuhammad Inuwa Yahaya and also has 24 State House Assembly members. Gombe has 11 local government areas and 14 emirates/chiefdoms. It has three Senators and six Members in theNational Assembly.[18]
This is a list of administrators and governors of Gombe State.
| Name | Title | Took office | Left office | Party |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group CaptainJoseph Orji | Administrator | 7 October 1996 | Aug 1998 | Military |
| Abubakar Habu Hashidu | Governor | 29 May 1999 | 29 May 2003 | APP |
| Mohammed Danjuma Goje | Governor | 29 May 2003 | May 2011 | PDP |
| Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo | Governor | May 2011 | 29 May 2019 | PDP |
| Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya | Governor | May 2019 | Date | APC |
Rulers of Gombe Emirate:[22]
| Start | End | Ruler |
|---|---|---|
| 1804 | 1841 | Abubakar "Buba Yero" dan Usman Subande (b. c.1762 – d. 1841) |
| 1841 | 1844 | Sulaymanu dan Abubakar (d. 1844) |
| 1844 | 1882 | Muhammadu Kwairanga dan Abi Bakar (d. 1882) |
| 1882 | 1888 | Abd al-Qadiri Zaylani dan Muhammadu (d. 1888) |
| 1888 | 1895 | Hasan dan Muhammadu (d. 1895) |
| 1895 | 1898 | Tukur dan Muhammadu (d. 1898) |
| 1898 | 1898 | Jalo dan Muhammadu |
| 1898 | 1922 | Umaru dan Muhammadu (d. 1922) |
| 1922 | 1935 | Haruna dan Umaru (d. 1935) |
| January 1936 | January 1984 | Abu Bakar dan Umaru (b. 1902) |
| January 1984 | 27 May 2014 | Shehu Usman Abubakar |
| June 2014 | Present | Abubakar Shehu Abubakar III (b. 1977) |
Gombe State Water Board is a state government organisation that provides water for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes. It is governed by a board of directors appointed by the state governor, with a chairman, a chief executive or chief manager, and nine other members.[23] They all serve on a part-time basis, other than the General Manager.[23]
Gombe Geographic Information System (GOGIS) is a digitalised land administrative system that carries out the process of determining, recording, and disseminating information about land acquisition, ownership, value and land management policies in Gombe State.
Gombe State Urban Planning and Development Authority (GOSPUDA) facilitates and enforces planning regulations for the development of the Gombe State by issuing and regulating building approval for individuals or organizations that wish to develop their land.
Thedry season in Gombe is partly cloudy, and the city has year-round high temperatures. Thewet season is unpleasant and overcast. The temperature rarely falls below 52 °F or rises over 105 °F throughout the year, often ranging from 57 °F to 100 °F.[24][25][26]
_(Upper_Cretaceous%3b_Gombe_region%2c_Nigeria)_2_(30848115127).jpg)
With an average daily high temperature of 97 °F, the hot season spans 2.3 months, from February 17 to April 26. At 98 °F on average for highs and 74 °F for lows, April is the hottest month of the year in Gombe. With an average daily maximum temperature below 86 °F, the cool season spans 3.1 months, from July 6 to October 9. With an average low temperature of 58 °F and high temperature of 90 °F, December is the coldest month of the year in Gombe.[27]
Afforestation
The Gombe State Government has started a four million tree planting programme as part of a renewed effort to stopdeforestation in the North Central Zone.
It is anticipated that the four-year plan, which would be implemented in parts. The first part of the scheme has already seen the government plant 1.3 million tree saplings.[28][29][30]
Flood Control
The state government has taken preventive steps to lessen the impact of the impending floods and other environmental problems that are expected to hit the state.
In order to protect people and property while minimizing the effects of upcoming weather events and their potentially fatal consequences, GovernorMuhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has ordered the Ministry of Environment and Forest Resources to coordinate with pertinent stakeholders and activate state emergency response and management resources.[31][32]
In a recent report, heavy flooding in the State, has caused the destruction of 171 houses within a span of two months.[33] The floods, have displaced numerous households and disrupted lives. The Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed that nearly 1,000 households have been affected overall since the start of the 2025 rainy season, with 15 reported deaths linked to flood-related incidents. Localities such as Jurara inKwami LGA and Jalingon Kamu inKaltungo LGA have recorded displacements, with residents often relying on community support for refuge. The floods have inflicted damage on infrastructure and agricultural lands, further increasing the challenges faced by the affected populations. Response efforts by state agencies and humanitarian partners continue, focusing on relief provision, including shelter, food, and medical assistance.[33][34]
Gombe State is still reeling from the devastating effects of a gully erosion that destroyed farmlands worth millions of Naira and damaged more than 200 homes. Despite state government efforts to lessen its effects, the gully erosions which particularly affected the Bogo neighborhood within the city have not been fully controlled.[35][36]
In Gombe, the air quality is acceptable except for a very small number of people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution, to whom some pollutants may pose a moderate health risk.[37][38][39]
Secondary Schools.
Universities
Colleges
Federal highways are:
Other major roads include:
Airports:
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Gombe State has many media stations some of which are;
Most of the population in Gombe State are farmers. Both food andcash crops are produced by them. Yam, cassava, maize, tomatoes, and groundnuts are some of its food crops, while cotton is grown for each.[61]
These goods supply the raw materials for the state's agricultural industries, including the groundnut oil mill, cotton gin, and tomato plant. Cement production, furniture manufacturing, block production, and other small-scale businesses are additional industries.
Gombe has natural resources likeuranium,gypsum, andlimestone.
Recently, petroleum deposits were reported to have been discovered in the state.[61]
In Gombe State, the population is estimated to be about 65 per cent to 70 per cent Muslim and 30 per cent to 35 per cent Christian
State capital:Gombe | ||
| Local government areas | | |
