Benue State sits in Nigeria’s North Central geopolitical zone, with its capital at Makurdi. The state has 23 local government areas and recorded a population of 4,253,641 at the 2006 census, projected to 6,141,300 by 2022. Every LGA below links to its full town-and-village list where we cover it, so readers can find specific settlements within each area.
Local Government Areas in Benue State
The table below lists all 23 LGAs with their 2006 census and 2022 projected populations.
| LGA | 2006 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Ado | 184,389 | 266,200 |
| Agatu | 115,597 | 166,900 |
| Apa | 96,780 | 139,700 |
| Buruku | 206,215 | 297,700 |
| Gboko | 361,325 | 521,700 |
| Guma | 194,164 | 280,300 |
| Gwer East | 168,660 | 243,500 |
| Gwer West | 122,313 | 176,600 |
| Katsina-Ala | 225,471 | 325,500 |
| Konshisha | 226,492 | 327,000 |
| Kwande | 248,642 | 359,000 |
| Logo | 169,570 | 244,800 |
| Makurdi | 300,377 | 433,700 |
| Obi | 98,707 | 142,500 |
| Ogbadibo | 130,988 | 189,100 |
| Ohimini | 70,688 | 102,100 |
| Oju | 168,491 | 243,300 |
| Okpokwu | 175,596 | 253,500 |
| Oturkpo | 266,411 | 384,600 |
| Tarka | 79,280 | 114,500 |
| Ukum | 216,983 | 313,300 |
| Ushongo | 191,935 | 277,100 |
| Vandeikya | 234,567 | 338,700 |
Benue State has 23 official local government areas, and 17 have full town and village lists on this site.
Geography
Benue State is bordered by Nasarawa State to the north, Taraba State to the east, Cross River State to the south, Enugu State to the southwest, Kogi State to the west, and Cameroon to the southeast. The Benue River, Nigeria’s second-longest waterway, crosses the state from east to west and gives it its name. A major tributary, the Katsina-Ala River, drains the eastern LGAs before joining the Benue further downstream. The terrain is mostly Guinea savanna, with fertile floodplains along the two rivers and low wooded hills around Gboko and the Okpokwu-Ogbadibo axis in the southeast. The Idoma, Tiv, and Igede peoples make up most of the population, spread across these plains and hills in roughly distinct traditional homelands. The climate follows two seasons: a rainy season from April to October and a dry season from November to March, with the Harmattan bringing dust and cooler nights between December and February. Southern LGAs such as Ado, Ogbadibo, and Okpokwu border Cross River and Ebonyi states across more forested terrain, while northern LGAs such as Guma and Makurdi sit in open savanna along the Benue floodplain.
Economy & Local Life
Benue is known across Nigeria as a farming state, producing yam, rice, soybeans, cassava, and citrus fruits at scale. Yam output places the state among Nigeria’s largest producers, and local markets in Otukpo, Katsina-Ala, and Vandeikya trade heavily in yam, cassava, and citrus during harvest season. Farming employs most residents outside Makurdi and Gboko, the two largest towns, and small-scale processing of cassava into garri and soybeans into flour and oil extends that trade beyond the farm gate. Fishing along the Benue and Katsina-Ala rivers supports riverside communities throughout Guma, Makurdi, and Katsina-Ala LGAs. Makurdi’s civil service, university sector, and river port trade are the capital’s main non-farm employers. Traditional leadership still matters locally: the Tor Tiv, based in Gboko, leads the Tiv people, and the Och’Idoma, based in Otukpo, leads the Idoma people. The Reformed Church of Christ in Nigeria (NKST), one of the largest church bodies in the area, is headquartered at Mkar near Gboko. Benue State University and the Federal University of Agriculture, both in the Makurdi area, anchor education alongside the farm economy. Weekly markets rotate through towns such as Zaki-Biam in Ukum, known for large-scale yam trading, and Naka in Gwer West, drawing traders from across the state and from neighboring Taraba and Nasarawa.
FAQ
How many local government areas are in Benue State?
Benue State has 23 local government areas. Seventeen of them have full town and village lists on this site, linked in the table above.
What is the capital of Benue State?
The capital of Benue State is Makurdi. Makurdi sits on the Benue River in the north-central part of the state.
What is the population of Benue State?
Benue State recorded a population of 4,253,641 at the 2006 census, the most recent conducted in Nigeria. That figure is projected to reach 6,141,300 by 2022.
Which LGA in Benue State has the largest population?
Gboko is Benue’s most populous LGA, projected at 521,700 people for 2022, up from 361,325 at the 2006 census. Makurdi, the state capital, is the second-largest LGA by both counts.
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