Nigeria’s north central geopolitical zone (also referred to as middle belt) contains 6 states in total and the FCT. Right here we’ll provide you with the names of all those states along with a brief history on them.

The middle belt came into being after Nigeria’s former Head of State, Late General Sani Abacha, decided it was necessary to further group the nation.

Basically, states in Nigeria north central do not only share boundaries, they also have similar history and/or cultural heritage; that was the overall aim of the whole process of grouping Nigeria into geopolitical zones.

The middle belt (north central) states in Nigeria:

1. Benue
2. Kogi
3. Kwara
4. Nasarawa
5. Niger
6. Plateau
7. Federal Capital Territory

The Federal Capital Territory is the capital city of Nigeria, and it is located in the north-central region.

More on the middle belt states:

Benue

Benue is home to the Tiv, Idoma and Igede people of Nigeria, amongst others. Based on 2006 census, it boasts a population of 4,253,641. The capital of Benue is Makurdi.

Kogi

Kogi is also one of the states in Nigeria’s middle belt geopolitical zone. It is home to the Igalas, Ebiras, Okun and several other smaller ethnic groups. Kogi came into being in 1991.

Kwara

Although largely related to the western states in terms of culture and history, Kwara is grouped under the north central zone of Nigeria.

It was created in May 1967 just shortly after Nigeria’s independence. The Yoruba and Fulani people are the major ethnic groups in Kwara.

Nasarawa

Nasarawa is home to the Mada, Eggon, Ebira Toto, among others. The state is bounded in the north by Kaduna, in the west by Abuja, in the south by both Kogi and Benue, and in the east by Taraba and Plateau States.

Niger

Niger is the largest state in Nigeria in terms of land area. It is home to the Nupe, Basa and people. The capital of Niger is Minna, which is also one of its most populated cities.

Plateau

Plateau state is bounded to the north by Bauchi and Kaduna, and to the south by Benue and Nasarawa. The capital of the state is Jos. Tribes in Plateau include Berom, Afizere, Amo, Anaguta, among others.