Towns and Villages in Enugu State

Enugu State sits in Nigeria’s South East geopolitical zone. Its capital is Enugu, and the state has 17 local government areas, with a population of 3,267,837 at the 2006 census, projected to reach 4,690,100 by 2022. The state was carved out of the old Anambra State in 1991 and takes its name from the capital city. Every LGA below links to its full town-and-village list where we cover it.

Local Government Areas in Enugu State

The table lists all 17 official LGAs alphabetically, with census and projected population figures. Nsukka, Enugu East, and Enugu North are the state’s most populous LGAs, while Uzo-Uwani and Oji-River are among the smallest by headcount.

Enugu State has 17 official local government areas, and 7 of them have full town-and-village lists on this site. The remaining LGAs are listed here with their population figures, and their full settlement lists will be added as coverage expands. Until then, the census and projection figures below still let readers compare LGAs by size at a glance.

Geography

Enugu State lies in the southeastern hill country of Nigeria, on the escarpment that gives the capital its name (Enugu means “top of the hill” in Igbo). It shares borders with Kogi and Benue to the north, Ebonyi to the east, Abia and Imo to the south, and Anambra to the west. The terrain rises from lowland plains in the south to the Udi-Nsukka highlands in the north and west, and the Nsukka area in particular sits on a plateau that separates it from the Niger valley further west. The Udi escarpment runs through the middle of the state, giving Enugu city and Udi LGA their hilly, uneven streets, while the eastern and southern LGAs toward Ebonyi and Abia flatten into more typical Igbo lowland farmland. Enugu falls within Nigeria’s derived-savanna and rainforest transition zone, with a wet season that runs roughly from April to October and a dry season, marked by the Harmattan wind, from November to March.

Economy & Local Life

Enugu built its early economy on coal, mined from the Udi hills from the colonial era through the mid-20th century, and the city grew up around the rail line that carried it to Port Harcourt. That coal-mining history still shapes the capital’s identity as “the coal city,” even though large-scale mining wound down decades ago. Farming remains central across the LGAs, with yam, cassava, rice, and vegetables grown for local markets and for sale into Anambra and Abia. Palm produce and local rice processing are notable in the Nsukka and Uzo-Uwani axis, where the flatter, better-watered land supports larger farms. Nsukka is home to the University of Nigeria, the state’s largest employer outside the capital, and the town’s economy leans heavily on students, staff, and the trade that follows a large campus population. Trading, transport, and small manufacturing anchor the local economy in Enugu city itself, and its central location within the South East makes it a natural stop for traders moving goods between Onitsha, Aba, and the north.

FAQ

How many local government areas are in Enugu State?

Enugu State has 17 local government areas, spread across the South East geopolitical zone.

What is the capital of Enugu State?

The capital of Enugu State is Enugu city, also known historically as the coal city because of its coal-mining past.

What is the population of Enugu State?

Enugu State had a population of 3,267,837 at the 2006 census, up from 2,125,068 in 1991, and projected to reach 4,690,100 by 2022. There has been no national census in Nigeria since 2006, so the 2022 figure is a projection, not a fresh count.

Which LGA in Enugu State has the largest population?

Nsukka is the most populous LGA in Enugu State, with 309,448 people at the 2006 census and a 2022 projection of 444,100. Enugu East and Enugu North follow, both centered on the state capital.

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