NigeriaPolls · Interactive Tool
Compare Nigerian States
Put any of Nigeria's 36 states and the FCT side by side. Compare geopolitical zone, capital, population, share of the national population and local government areas, all from official sources.
Interactive Comparison
Side-by-State Analysis
Choose the states you want to compare. The default view shows Lagos, Kano and the FCT.
Choose up to 6 states or the FCT to compare side by side.
State Comparison Table
Official facts for each state. The largest value in each numeric row is highlighted.
| Fact | FCT Abuja | Kano | Lagos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geopolitical zone | North-Central | North-West | South-West |
| State capital | Abuja | Kano | Ikeja |
| Population (2006 census) | 1,406,239 | 9,401,288 | 9,113,605 |
| Share of national population | 1.0% | 6.7% | 6.5% |
| Local government areas | 6 | 44 | 20 |
Source: National Population Commission (NPC), 2006 National Population and Housing Census, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) list of local government areas.
Population (2006 census)
How It Works
Three Simple Steps to Compare
No account required. Select, compare and explore.
Select States
Choose up to six states or the FCT from the dropdown. Each state is tagged by geopolitical zone for easy navigation.
Read the Table
The table lists zone, capital, 2006 census population, share of the national population and number of local government areas for every state you pick.
Spot the Differences
The largest value in each row is highlighted and a population chart shows relative size at a glance.
Data
Understanding the Data
Population figures come from the National Population Commission's 2006 National Population and Housing Census, the most recent full count published for Nigeria. Population has grown in every state since then, so use the figures for relative size and for the share each state holds of the national total.
The count of local government areas and the geopolitical zone for each state follow the official structure used by INEC and the Federal Government. Opinion data by state is published separately, with the sample size and field dates of each poll shown on its page. Read the methodology for how NigeriaPolls designs and reports polls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which states can I compare?
All 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Pick up to six at a time and the table and chart update instantly.
Where does the population data come from?
From the National Population Commission (NPC) 2006 National Population and Housing Census, the last full census count published for Nigeria. The 37 figures add up to the national total of 140,431,790.
How many local government areas does Nigeria have?
Nigeria has 774 local government areas across the 36 states and the FCT, which includes the six area councils of Abuja.
Does the tool show polling results by state?
No. This tool compares official facts only. NigeriaPolls publishes state-level opinion results once a poll has enough responses in a state to report them, with the sample size and field dates shown.
Explore NigeriaPolls
Related Content
Dive deeper into Nigerian politics with our polls, guides and state profiles.
All Polls
Browse every poll in our database
Lagos State Hub
Nigeria's commercial capital
Kano State Hub
Northern commercial capital
FCT Abuja Hub
Federal capital territory
Political Guides
Deep-dive explainers and analysis
2027 Election Hub
Everything about the next election
About NigeriaPolls
Who we are and what we do
Our Methodology
How we run and verify polls