Towns and Villages in Katsina State

Katsina State sits in Nigeria’s North West geopolitical zone, with its capital at Katsina city. The state has 34 local government areas and recorded a population of 5,801,584 at the 2006 census, projected to 10,368,500 by 2022. That is up from 3,753,133 at the 1991 census, one of the faster-growing state populations in the north. Every LGA below links to its full town-and-village list where we cover it.

Local Government Areas in Katsina State

Katsina State’s 34 LGAs are listed below, alphabetically, with census and projected population figures. Populations range from Kusada’s 98,348 at the 2006 census to Katsina LGA’s 318,132, and the table lets you compare growth toward the 2022 projections across the state.

Katsina State has 34 official local government areas; 12 have full town-and-village lists on this site, linked in the table above. The remaining LGAs are listed here with their official census and projection figures, and we are adding detailed town-and-village pages for them over time.

Geography

Katsina State lies in Nigeria’s far north, bordering the Republic of Niger along its northern edge. Within Nigeria it borders Jigawa and Kano to the east, Kaduna to the south, and Zamfara to the west. The land is part of the Sudan savanna, mostly flat to gently rolling, broken by low granite outcrops in places and shallow seasonal streams that feed the wider Sokoto-Rima drainage system. Vegetation thins toward the north, where the landscape edges into semi-arid Sahel conditions closer to the Niger border. Daura, one of the state’s old walled towns, ranks among the seven original Hausa city-states, and its earthen ramparts still mark the historic town centre. Funtua, in the south of the state, grew around the colonial-era railway line and remains a key transport and market town linking Katsina to Kaduna and points south. Dutsin-Ma and Malumfashi anchor the south-central LGAs, while Daura, Baure, and Mai’adua sit closer to the Niger frontier in the drier north.

Economy & Local Life

Farming and trading anchor the local economy. Millet, sorghum, cowpea, and groundnut are the main crops, grown mostly by smallholder families on rain-fed land during the short wet season from roughly June to September. Cotton has long been grown around Funtua and Malumfashi, feeding local ginneries, and Katsina State was once part of Nigeria’s groundnut belt that supplied the export trade through Kano in the mid-20th century. Livestock rearing, especially cattle, sheep, and goats, is common across the drier LGAs toward the Niger border, often alongside seasonal grazing routes used by Fulani herders. Katsina city and Daura serve as regional trading hubs, with weekly markets drawing farmers and traders from nearby LGAs and across the border. Leatherwork, weaving, and dyeing remain active local crafts in and around Katsina and Daura, continuing trades tied to the old trans-Saharan trade routes that once passed through the region. Small-scale processing of groundnut and cotton also supports local traders, and grain markets in LGAs such as Malumfashi and Kankara remain busy on their weekly market days.

FAQ

How many local government areas are in Katsina State?

Katsina State has 34 local government areas.

What is the capital of Katsina State?

Katsina city is the capital of Katsina State.

What is the population of Katsina State?

Katsina State recorded a population of 5,801,584 at the 2006 census, up from 3,753,133 in 1991. The 2022 projection puts the figure at 10,368,500.

Which LGA in Katsina State has the largest population?

Katsina LGA has the largest population in the state, with a 2022 projection of 568,600, up from 318,132 at the 2006 census. Kankara and Funtua follow, each projected above 400,000 by 2022.

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