Taraba | |
|---|---|
 Mambilla Plateau of Taraba State | |
| Nicknames: | |
 Location of Taraba State in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates: 8°00′N 10°30′E / 8.000°N 10.500°E | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| Date created | 27 August 1991 |
| Capital | Jalingo |
| Government | |
| • Body | Government of Taraba State |
| • Governor (List) | Agbu Kefas (PDP) |
| • Deputy Governor | Aminu Abdullahi Alkali (PDP) |
| • Legislature | Taraba State House of Assembly |
| • Senators | C: Haruna Manu (PDP) N: Shuaibu Isa Lau (PDP) S: David Jimkuta (APC) |
| • Representatives | List |
| Area | |
• Total | 54,473 km2 (21,032 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 3rd of 36 |
| Population (2006 census) | |
• Total | 2,294,800[1] |
• Estimate (2022) | 3,609,800[2] |
| • Rank | 30th of 36 |
| • Density | 42.127/km2 (109.11/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | |
| • Year | 2021 |
| • Total | $13.27 billion[3] |
| • Per capita | $3,720[3] |
| Time zone | UTC+01 (WAT) |
| postal code | 660001 |
| ISO 3166 code | NG-TA |
| HDI (2022) | 0.527[4] low · 26th of 37 |
| Website | tarabastate.gov.ng |
Tarabaⓘ is a state in north-eastern Nigeria, named after the Taraba River, which traverses the southern part of the state. It is nicknamed "Nature's Gift to the Nation". The state capital is Jalingo. It is home to a diverse population including about 80 distinct ethnicities and their languages.[5][6][7]
History
Taraba state was created out of the former Gongola state on 27 August 1991 by the military government of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. The state is an amalgamation of three former divisions: Wukari, Mambilla, and Muri.
Geography
Taraba state is bordered on the west by Nasarawa state and Benue state for 109 km, northwest by Plateau state for 202 km, north by the Bauchi state for 54 km and Gombe state for 58 km, northeast by Adamawa state for about 366 km and south by Northwest Region in Cameroon for about 525 km.
Rivers
The Benue, Donga, and Taraba are the main rivers in the state. They begin in the Cameroonian mountains, draining almost the entire length of the state on their way North, before heading west to link up with the Niger River.[8]
Climate
Taraba state has an annual average temperature of 33°C. It receives 100.64 millimeters (3.96 inches) of rainfall a year, with increased rainfall around August,[9] and has an average relative humidity of 54.98%. The state is hottest in March and April with an average high of 40.44°C.[10]
Flood
In April 2023, many homes and commercial buildings in Taraba State were affected by flooding.[11][12]
Government
Local government areas
Taraba State consists of sixteen (16) Local Government Areas (LGAs), which are governed by elected chairmen. The local government areas are listed as follows: Ardo Kola, Bali, Donga, Gashaka, Gassol, Ibi, Jalingo, Karim Lamido, Kurmi, Lau, Sardauna, Takum, Ussa, Wukari, Yorro, and Zing
Politics
The state government is led by a democratically elected governor and the state's House of Assembly. The capital city of the state is Jalingo.[13]
Electoral system
The governor of the state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive a plurality of votes and over 25% of votes in at least two-thirds of state and local government areas. If no candidate passes the threshold, a second round is held between the two candidates that received a plurality of votes in the most local government areas.[14]
Healthcare
Taraba State has several hospitals and health care centers, including:
- Courage Hospital
- Federal Medical Center (FMC)
- Gateway Hospital
- General Hospital, Bali
- Sauki Hospital and Maternity
- Totus Hospital and Maternity
- Albert Healthcare Company
- Federal University teaching Hospital wukari
- Taraba Specialist Hospital[15]
- Kwararafa Hospital and maternity
- Federal Polytechnic Bali Medical Center
- First Referral Hospital
- Biyama Hospital
Languages
Languages of Taraba state, listed by LGA, include:[16]
| LGA | Languages |
|---|---|
| Ardo Kola | Fulfulde; Mumuye, Jibu (Jukun Kona), and Hausa |
| Bali | Fulfulde; Ichen Language Fam; Gbaya, Northwest; Jibu; Jukun Takum; Kam; Mumuye; Ndoola; Chamba Dakka; chamba leko; Tiv; Hausa. |
| Donga | Ichen Language, Ekpan, Chamba Leko, Tiv. |
| Gashaka | Fulfulde, Jibu, Ndola, Chamba Daka; Yamba,Tiv and Hausa. |
| Gassol | Fulfulde, Wapan, Tiv |
| Ibi | Fulfulde Duguri; Dza, Tiv, Wanu |
| Jalingo | Fulfulde; Mumuye; Jibu (Jukun Kona), and Hausa |
| Karim Lamido | Fulfulde; Dadiya; Dza; Jiba;Sho (bandawa); Jiru; kodei; Kulung; Kyak; Laka; Munga Lelau; Loo; Mághdì; Mak; Munga Doso; Mumuye; Nyam; Pangseng; Wurkun-Anphandi; Shoo-Minda-Nye; Yandang; Hõne; Kwa; Pero. Hausa, Bambuka, Jenjo, Karimjo, Gomu, Panya. |
| Kurmi | Ndoro; Ichen language; Tigun language; Abon; Bitare. |
| Lau | Kunini; Fufulde; Dza; Loo; Yandang, Laka and Hausa. |
| Sardauna | Mambila; Kaka; Banso; Kambu; Fulfulde; Tiv. |
| Takum | Mashi; Bete; Ichen Language, Chamba Daka; Jukun Takum; Kapya; Kpan; Kpati; Kuteb; Lufu; Acha language Acha; Tiv; Yukuben |
| Ussa | Kuteb |
| Wukari | Wapan, Ichen Language; Ekpan; Kpati; Kulung; Tarok; Tiv; |
| Yorro | Fulfulde; Mumuye, Hausa |
| Zing | Mumuye, Nyong; Rang; Yandang |
Other languages spoken in Taraba State are Akum, Bukwen, Esimbi, Fali of Baissa, Jiba, Njerep, Tha, Yandang, Yotti, Ywom.[16]
Demographics
The state's primary ethnic groups are the Jukun, Jenjo, Fulani, Mumuye, Mambilla, Kuteb, Karimjo Wurkun, Tiv, Yandang, Ndola, Ichen, Tigon, and Jibu. The northern part of the state is mostly Fulani, Mumuye, and Sho. The southern part of the state is primarily Jukun, Wurkum, Tiv, Chamba, Kuteb, and Ichen. The central region is mainly occupied by the Fulani, Mambilla, Ndola, Tigon, Jibu, Wurbo, and Daka people.
Education
Taraba State has many schools and education centres. Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges include:
- Federal Polytechnic, Bali[17]
- Federal University, Wukari[18]
- Kwararafa University, Wukari[19]
- Taraba State University[20]
 | This section may contain unverified or indiscriminate information in embedded lists. (December 2025) |
- College of Education Zing [21]
- Taraba State College of Health Technology, Takum[22]
- Taraba State Polytechnic, Suntai[23]
Transportation
Federal highways
- A4, north from Benue State for 292 km, near Kado as the Wukari-Murtum Biyu Rd, across the Taraba River at Tella and Jalingo, to Adamawa State at Mayo Lane.
- A8, south from Burtol for 166 km to Gembu, unconnected to the A8 Highway in Adamawa State. Notably, there is a road to Cameroon east from A8 at Gembu to N6 at Banyo.
Major roadways
- The Bachumbi Rd, east from Plateau State at Zurak via Muri, Banyam and Bambuka to Adamawa State
- The Wukari-Ampei Rd, north to Ibi on the Benue River
- The Garin Kunini-Zing Rd, southeast from Dzhu'a-Khore via Pupule, to Adamawa State at Bisa as the Zaridi-Mayo Belwa Rd
- The Wukari-Takum Rd, south from Jalingo via Sunkani, Garbe Shede, Bajabure, Pangri and Mai Fula to Dogari Tiv
- The Katsina Ala-Takum road, west to Benue State at Dogon Gawa
- The Garin Jatau Bali Rd, east from Takum across the River Donga at Manya and northeast to Mararaba
- The Rafin Kada-Gembu Rd, southeast from Donga via Mararaba
- The Mambila-Plateau Rd
Airports
Economy
Agriculture
The major occupation of the people of Taraba state is agriculture. Cash crops produced in the state include coffee, tea, groundnuts and cotton.[24] Crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, and yam are also produced in commercial quantity.[25] In addition, cattle, sheep and goats are reared in large numbers, especially on the Mambilla Plateau and along the Benue and Taraba valleys.[26] Similarly, the people of Taraba state undertake other livestock production, such as poultry production, rabbit breeding and pig farming in fairly large scale. In February 2024, the World Bank in Nigeria announced plans to empower 5,200 female livestock farmers in the state.[27] Communities living on the banks of the Benue River, Taraba River, and Donga River engage in fishing all year round. Other occupational activities such as pottery, cloth-weaving, dyeing, mat-making, carving, embroidery, and blacksmithing are carried out in various parts of the state.[28][29]
Natural resources
Taraba state has abundant natural resources for industrial and commercial use, including:[30]
Mineral raw materials
Agro-raw materials
- Maize
- Millet
- Sorghum
- Rice
- Groundnut[31]
- Cassava
- Fish
- Gum Arabic
- Cotton
- Timber
- Palm oil
- Cocoa
- Citrus
- Sugarcane
- Soy Beans
- Yam
- Egusi
Culture
The state government has made improvements to tourist attractions, such as the Mambilla Tourist Center, and Gumpti Park and game reserve in Gashaka. The Karimjo Abedahh festival and Nwunyu fishing festival in Ibi are usually held in April each year, with activities such as canoe racing, a swimming competition, and cultural dances. Other festivals are the Purma of the Chamba in Donga, Takum and Jibu culture dance in Bali, Tagba of Acha People in Takum, Kuchecheb of Kutebs in Takum and Ussa,[32] Kati and Bol of the Mambilla, and a host of others.
The State encompasses part of the Mambilla Region, which is the Bantu cradle, and area occupied for approximately five millennia to date.[33]
Gallery
-
Entrance of Taraba State University -
Transportation In river Lamido, Taraba State -
A Mountain in Mambilla -
The Mambilla Plateau -
Donga River, Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State -
Loop traditional dancers from Taraba State -
Gwagir Lake (SGEN or Tunga) in Mambilla, Taraba State -
Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Mambilla Plateau, 2012 -
Cijin Lake in Gembu
Notable people
 | This list of residents may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. (October 2025) |
- Late Aisha Alhassan - Former Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs, Former Senator of the Northern Zone of Taraba
- Emmanuel Bwacha - Former Senator Representing Southern Taraba.
- Shaakaa Chira - Auditor-General of the Federation
- Theophilus Danjuma - Retired General, Politician, Businessman, Nigerian Chief of Army Staff (1975–1979), Minister of Defense (1999–2003)
- Anna Darius Ishaku - Barrister, Wife of former governor Darius Ishaku[34]
- Darius Ishaku - Former Governor of Taraba state
- David Jimkuta -Current Senator Representing Southern Taraba.
- Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama - The current Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja
- Agbu Kefas - Current Governor of Taraba State[35]
- Abdullahi Bala Lau - Islamic scholar, cleric, mufassir, and preacher, popularly known as Sheikh Balalau
- Shuaibu Isa Lau - Senator representing North Taraba
- Saleh Mamman - Nigerian minister of power
- Haruna Manu - Senator Representing Central Taraba, Former Deputy Governor, Former Member House of Representative of the Bali Gassol Federal Constituency
- Mahmud Mohammed - Nigerian Jurist and former Chief Justice of Nigeria
- Jolly Nyame - Former Governor of Taraba state
- Danbaba Suntai - Nigerian pharmacist, Politician, Former Governor of Taraba state
- Abbas Njidda Tafida - Current Emir of Muri
- Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf - Former Senator Representing Central Taraba, Member of the All Progressive Congress(APC), Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC)
References
- ^ "2006 PHC Priority Tables – NATIONAL POPULATION COMMISSION". population.gov.ng. Archived from the original on 16 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
- ^ "Taraba State: Subdivision". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ a b Okeowo, Gabriel; Fatoba, Iyanuoluwa, eds. (13 October 2022). "State of States 2022 Edition" (PDF). Budgit.org. BudgIT. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
- ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
- ^ Falola, Toyin (24 June 2021). Understanding Modern Nigeria Ethnicity, Democracy, and Development. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781108837972.
- ^ Agbu, Osita (2004). Ethnic Militias and the Threat to Democracy in Post-transition Nigeria. Nordiska Afrikainstitutet. ISBN 9789171065254.
- ^ Ngulube, Patrick (12 September 2016). Handbook of Research on Theoretical Perspectives on Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Developing Countries. IGI Global. ISBN 9781522508342.
- ^ Fay, Robert (7 April 2005), "Niger River", African American Studies Center, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.42716, ISBN 978-0-19-530173-1, retrieved 11 July 2024
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: work parameter with ISBN (link) - ^ "Worlddata".
- ^ "Taraba, NG Climate Zone, Monthly Weather Averages and Historical Data". weatherandclimate.com. Retrieved 27 November 2025.
- ^ Mkom, John (25 April 2023). "Flood Submerges 300 Houses In Taraba". Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ "Flood: Taraba Govt issues alert to 6 LGAs". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 21 August 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
- ^ Oguntola, Tunde (27 September 2022). "2023: Next President, Govs Must Get Two-thirds Spread, Says INEC". Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Oguntola, Tunde (27 September 2022). "2023: Next President, Govs Must Get Two-thirds Spread, Says INEC". Retrieved 24 February 2023.
- ^ Mkom, John (16 October 2022). "Mosquitoes: Patients Berate Taraba Specialist Hospital Over Poor Environmental Sanitation". Retrieved 4 January 2023.
- ^ a b "Nigeria". Ethnologue (22 ed.). Retrieved 10 January 2020.
- ^ https://fedpobali.net/index.php
- ^ "Federal University Wukari Convocation: Buhari Tasks Graduates On Innovation – Independent Newspaper Nigeria". independent.ng. 21 February 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ Cyril (18 December 2022). "Military's involvement in internal security operations saved country from disasters-Security expert". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
- ^ Daniels, Ajiri (31 July 2022). "Taraba varsity to establish model ranch – VC". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
- ^ "Home". College of Education Zing. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
- ^ "Taraba State College Of Health Technology, Takum". www.tarabaschttakum.edu.ng. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ "Home". Taraba State Polytechnic, Suntai. 11 November 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
- ^ Edon, Aboki; Abubakar, Kara H.; Ashindo, Zubairu E. (1 December 2023). "Analysis of Financial Profitability of Tomato Growers in Taraba State, Nigeria". AKSU Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences. 7 (3): 25–36. doi:10.61090/aksuja.2023.015. ISSN 2651-5679.
- ^ "About". TARABA STATE GOVERNMENT. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- ^ "Rotational grazing meets technology on Mambilla Plateau". Earth Journalism Network. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ Reporters, Our (7 February 2024). "FG, W'Bank empowers 5,000 Taraba, A'Ibom farmers". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Taraba – Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid landscapes (ACReSAL) project". 17 May 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
- ^ "Jobs in Taraba State". Retrieved 25 February 2022.
- ^ "Natural Resources Natural Resources Available in Taraba State". TARABA STATE GOVERNMENT. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ Hunkuyi, Magaji (29 October 2022). "How groundnut boosts economy of Taraba town". Daily Trust. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
- ^ "The Kuteb People - The Kuteb People". Archived from the original on 9 June 2013.
- ^ Zeitlyn, David; Connell, Bruce (9 June 2003). "ETHNOGENESIS AND FRACTAL HISTORY ON AN AFRICAN FRONTIER: MAMBILA–NJEREP–MANDULU". The Journal of African History. 44 (1): 117–138. doi:10.1017/S002185370200823X. ISSN 0021-8537.
- ^ "Taraba governor's wife gets award for empowering youths | The Nation Newspaper". 6 June 2021. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
- ^ Online, Tribune (25 November 2022). "Appeal Court affirms Kefas as Taraba PDP governorship candidate". Tribune Online. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
External links
State capital: Jalingo | ||
| Local government areas |  | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
