Yobe State sits in Nigeria’s North East geopolitical zone, with its capital at Damaturu. The state has 17 local government areas and a population of 2,321,339 at the 2006 census, projected to 3,649,600 by 2022, up from 1,399,687 at the 1991 census. Every LGA below links to its full town-and-village list where we cover it.
Local Government Areas in Yobe State
Yobe’s 17 LGAs range from the Sahelian north, bordering Niger Republic, to the farming belt in the south near Gombe and Bauchi states, and the table below gives the 2006 census figure and the 2022 projection for each.
| LGA | 2006 census | 2022 projection |
|---|---|---|
| Bade | 139,804 | 219,800 |
| Bursari | 109,692 | 172,500 |
| Damaturu | 87,706 | 137,900 |
| Fika | 136,736 | 215,000 |
| Fune | 301,954 | 474,700 |
| Geidam | 155,740 | 244,900 |
| Gujba | 129,797 | 204,100 |
| Gulani | 103,516 | 162,700 |
| Jakusko | 232,458 | 365,500 |
| Karasuwa | 105,514 | 165,900 |
| Machina | 60,994 | 95,900 |
| Nangere | 87,517 | 137,600 |
| Nguru | 150,699 | 236,900 |
| Potiskum | 204,866 | 322,100 |
| Tarmua | 77,667 | 122,100 |
| Yunusari | 125,940 | 198,000 |
| Yusufari | 110,739 | 174,100 |
Yobe State has 17 official LGAs, and 2 of them, Nguru and Potiskum, have full town-and-village lists on this site; the rest are listed with their census and projection figures above.
Geography
Yobe State lies in the Sahel belt of northeastern Nigeria. It borders Borno State to the east, Gombe and Bauchi states to the south, Jigawa State to the west, and Niger Republic to the north. The Komadugu Yobe River crosses the state from west to east on its way into the Lake Chad basin, and the shared border with Niger Republic runs along the state’s northern edge through Yunusari and Machina LGAs. Much of the land is flat and semi-arid, with fixed sand dunes across the north and seasonal fadama wetlands along the river valleys further south. Rainfall is light and comes in a short wet season, typical of the wider Sahel. The southern LGAs, closer to Gombe and Bauchi, carry slightly heavier vegetation and support more rain-fed farming than the drier north. Around Nguru and Bade, the state shares in the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands, a floodplain fed by rivers draining from further south that attracts migratory birds each dry season. Yobe is also part of Nigeria’s stretch of the Great Green Wall, a Sahel-wide effort to plant trees and slow the spread of desert conditions along the state’s northern LGAs.
Economy & Local Life
Farming and livestock drive Yobe’s economy. Farmers grow millet, sorghum, groundnuts, cowpeas, sesame, and gum arabic, and irrigation along the Komadugu Yobe River supports onion, pepper, and vegetable farming in the dry season. Herding of cattle, sheep, and goats is common across the drier northern LGAs, where many households combine farming with livestock as a hedge against poor rains. Fishing continues along the river and around seasonal ponds, especially near the wetlands around Nguru. Potiskum is the state’s main trading hub for livestock and grain, drawing traders from across the North East and beyond, and its livestock market is among the largest in the region. Cross-border trade with Niger Republic supports weekly markets in the northern LGAs, moving grain, livestock, and household goods across the frontier. Weaving, leatherwork, and hide-and-skin processing remain common local trades in and around Damaturu and Potiskum, and mat-weaving from wetland grasses is a long-standing craft in the riverine LGAs. Yobe is also home to several long-established traditional emirates, including Fika, Bade, Machina, and Geidam, whose royal fathers remain influential in local affairs alongside the elected LGA administrations.
FAQ
How many local government areas are in Yobe State?
Yobe State has 17 local government areas, ranging from Machina in the far north to Fika and Gujba in the south.
What is the capital of Yobe State?
Damaturu is the capital of Yobe State and the seat of Damaturu LGA, which had a population of 87,706 at the 2006 census.
What is the population of Yobe State?
Yobe State had a population of 2,321,339 at the 2006 census, projected to 3,649,600 by 2022. That is up from 1,399,687 recorded at the 1991 census.
Which LGA in Yobe State has the largest population?
Fune LGA has the largest population in Yobe State, with 301,954 people at the 2006 census, projected to 474,700 by 2022. Jakusko is second largest, with 232,458 at the 2006 census, followed by Potiskum with 204,866.
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