Ogbia is a Local Government Area in Bayelsa, in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, with a population of 179,606 at the 2006 census. Its headquarters is Ogbia town, and the National Population Commission projection for 2022 puts the LGA near 267,400 residents.
Key Facts
| State | Bayelsa |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Ogbia town |
| Coordinates (HQ) | 4°39′00″N 6°16′00″E |
| Population | 179,606 (2006 census); 267,400 (2022 projection) |
| Postal code | 562103 |
| Wards | 13 |
| Clans | Abureni, Anyama, Oloibiri, Emeyal |
| People | Ogbia (Central Delta language group) |
Towns and Villages in Ogbia
The list below was checked name by name against 2015 INEC ward and polling-unit records, the GeoNames and OpenStreetMap gazetteers, and GRID3 settlement data.
- Abobiri
- Abulabiri
- Agbura
- Agudama
- Akalabagi
- Akipelai
- Akolomani
- Alagbafama
- Amadugama
- Amakalakala
- Amerokeni
- Anyama
- Awiakalakala
- Ayakoro
- Ebelebiri
- Egbedama
- Egeleama
- Elebele
- Elogiama
- Emandike
- Emeyal
- Epebu
- Ewoama
- Ewoi
- Ibobio
- Ikasikarama
- Imiringi
- Iyalakiri
- Kolo
- Odobio
- Ogbia
- Ogbomama
- Ogireyankiri
- Okiki
- Okodi
- Okodogu
- Okpiniama
- Ologanga
- Ologi
- Ologohe
- Oloibiri
- Onuebum
- Opume
- Oruma
- Otabagi
- Otakeme
- Otuaba
- Otuabula I
- Otuabula II
- Otuaka
- Otuakanagu
- Otuasega
- Otuedu
- Otuegila
- Otuegwe
- Otuekpein
- Otuogidi
- Otuogori
- Otuoke
- Otuokpoti
- Outar
- Sangabama
- Uruama
- Waribugoama
Geography
Ogbia sits on the eastern side of Bayelsa, on the low freshwater and brackish plains between Kolo Creek and the Nun River estuary. Yenagoa lies to the north-west and Nembe to the south. The eastern boundary is also the boundary with Rivers.
Land here rarely rises more than a few metres above sea level. Creeks, swamp forest and seasonal flood plains break the settlements into clusters, and many villages sit on levees beside a creek rather than a road. Rainfall runs from March to October, and flooding along the Nun and Kolo systems is a recurring problem in the wet season. The 2022 floods, the worst in Bayelsa for a decade, cut roads and displaced households across the LGA.
Demographics
The 2006 census recorded 179,606 people. The 2022 projection of 267,400 assumes the same growth rate applied to every LGA in Bayelsa, so treat it as an estimate rather than a count.
The Ogbia people speak Ogbia, a Central Delta language, and are distinct from the Izon-speaking Ijaw communities that fill most of the rest of the state. The kingdom is organised into four clans: Abureni, Anyama, Oloibiri and Emeyal. Christianity is the dominant religion, and traditional water-spirit observances continue alongside it.
Economy and Local Life
Farming and fishing carry most households. Cassava is the staple crop, worked into garri and starch, with plantain, yam and oil palm alongside it. Creek and river fishing supplies both the household pot and the markets at Ogbia town, Otuoke and Imiringi.
Oil defines the wider economy. Shell-D’Arcy struck Nigeria’s first commercial crude at Oloibiri on 15 January 1956, and the Oloibiri field ran until 1978. Production has since moved to newer fields, including Kolo Creek, and the Kolo Creek flow station and the gas plant at Imiringi are the largest industrial sites in the LGA. Federal University Otuoke, established in 2011, is the other major employer. The capped Oloibiri Well 1 still stands as a monument outside the town, and the site has been earmarked for an oil and gas museum for years.
Ogbia has produced two national figures: Goodluck Jonathan, president from 2010 to 2015, who was born at Otuoke, and Melford Okilo of Emeyal, the first civilian governor of Rivers.
Getting There
The Yenagoa–Otuoke–Otuokpoti road runs east from the state capital and is the main approach, passing Elebele, Imiringi and Otuoke. Yenagoa is roughly 40 km from Ogbia town by road. From the east, traffic enters from Rivers on the Port Harcourt–Ahoada corridor.
The nearest airport is Bayelsa International Airport at Amassoma-Ogboinbiri, near Yenagoa. Port Harcourt International Airport is the larger alternative. Communities in the southern creeks are reached by boat from Ogbia town and Otuokpoti.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many towns and villages are in Ogbia?
This page lists 64 towns and villages in Ogbia Local Government Area, each checked against INEC ward and polling-unit records, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap and GRID3 settlement data.
What is the headquarters of Ogbia LGA?
Ogbia town is the headquarters. It lies at 4°39′00″N 6°16′00″E.
What is the Ogbia LGA postcode?
The postal code is 562103 for Ogbia town and the surrounding communities.
Where was oil first discovered in Nigeria?
At Oloibiri, in Ogbia LGA. Shell-D’Arcy struck commercial crude there on 15 January 1956, and the field produced until 1978.
What language do the Ogbia people speak?
Ogbia, a Central Delta language. It is separate from Izon, the Ijaw language spoken across most of Bayelsa.
Which LGAs border Ogbia?
Yenagoa to the north-west and Nembe to the south. Rivers, the neighbouring state, lies along the eastern boundary.
See a wrong or missing town? Report a problem with this list