Zing is a Local Government Area in Taraba, north-eastern Nigeria, and its headquarters sit in Zing town. The LGA covers about 1,030 km² and had a population of 127,685 at the 2006 census, projected to 200,900 by 2022.
Key Facts
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| State | Taraba |
| Headquarters | Zing town |
| Population | 127,685 (2006 census); 200,900 (2022 projection) |
| Area | 1,030 km² |
| Coordinates | 9°00′N 11°42′E |
| Postal code | 661103 |
| Wards | 10 |
| Main language | Mumuye |
Towns and Villages in Zing
Zing has 113 recorded towns, villages and hamlets. The list was verified against the 2015 INEC Polling Unit directory for Zing LGA, GeoNames Nigeria settlement data and the GRID3 Nigeria settlement layer. Names are listed alphabetically, and several carry a family or clan tag — Bitako Dukuro, Bitako Ibrahim, Bitako Mazara and Bitako Yali all sit in the Bitako ward, and Yohana Dogwe and Umaru Dogwe are separate hamlets from Dogwe itself.
- Bansi
- Bara
- Batta
- Benbong
- Bendi
- Bisagwa
- Bisomporong
- Bitako Dukuro
- Bitako Ibrahim
- Bitako Mazara
- Bitako Yali
- Boduga
- Bomeh
- Bubong
- Bunu Bariki
- Bunu Masapo
- Bushanki
- Buzza
- Daffe Dutse
- Dandi
- Dang Be
- Dangong
- Dansa
- Danvo
- Deba Yali
- Della
- Dibobo
- Didanko
- Dinding
- Dogwe
- Dong
- Dossa
- Fufulagwan
- Gam Po Bong
- Gboule
- Gwole
- Idirisu Daffe
- Jabansi
- Jagambo
- Jan Kwani
- Jasori
- Kagong
- Kakulu
- Kaya
- Ko Dukka
- Kobonko
- Koko
- Koko Budang
- Kondari
- Koron
- Kosensi
- Kossa
- Koyu
- Kozang
- Kugong
- Kunzang
- Kwana
- Kwanti Danze
- Kwapo
- Kwenzang
- Lakwanti
- Lambong
- Lamma
- Lanapo
- Lappo
- Lasari
- Mampali
- Mang
- Mapoko
- Mefantan
- Meika
- Mepuru
- Mika
- Monkin
- Musa Tika
- Nana Ahli
- Nasirde
- Nazipo
- Nbosung
- Ndakwanti
- Nmadi
- Nyavo
- Nyeli
- Sabon Layi Jen
- Sagwe
- Samari Zang
- Sule Naya
- Taburaze
- Tadovah
- Tagalang
- Tainho
- Tavingwa
- Taviri
- Togopi
- Tolo Yabi
- Tologwe
- Tulong
- Tuna Po
- Umaru Dogwe
- Volashanki
- Wakili Tonka
- Yakoko
- Yashavoko
- Yohana Dogwe
- Yonko
- Yukwa
- Zandi
- Zandi Gida
- Zang
- Zensi
- Zing
- Zippo
- Zum
Geography
Zing lies about 40 km east-north-east of Jalingo, the Taraba capital, at 9°00′N 11°42′E. Its 1,030 km² make it one of the mid-sized local government areas in the north of the state.
Lau LGA adjoins Zing on its northern side. Yorro LGA, headquartered at Kpantisawa, is the other largely Mumuye local government area, and the two are usually treated together in state farming and roads policy. Jalingo and Ardo Kola hold the state capital and its outskirts to the west.
The climate follows the northern Guinea savanna pattern: a wet season built around roughly 151 rainy days a year, then a hot, dry harmattan spell. Temperatures across the year run between about 14°C and 35°C. Rain decides the farming calendar here: planting follows the first steady downpours, and yam harvesting runs into the early dry months.
Demographics
The 2006 census counted 127,685 residents. That was up from 78,654 at the 1991 census, the year Taraba itself was carved out of Gongola. The National Population Commission projection for 2022 puts Zing at 200,900, which would be a rise of about 57 per cent in sixteen years.
Zing is predominantly Mumuye, organised into 12 clans. Mumuye is the everyday language, and Hausa serves as the trade language in markets and on transport routes, as it does across northern Taraba. The LGA is divided into 10 wards: Bitako, Bubong, Dinding, Lamma, Monkin A, Monkin B, Yakoko, Zing A I, Zing A II and Zing B. Monkin and Yakoko are the largest settlements after Zing town itself.
Economy and Local Life
Farming carries the local economy. Zing and Yorro are the largest yam-producing areas in Taraba, and yam mounds dominate the fields around Monkin, Yakoko and Dinding. Guinea corn, maize, groundnuts and rice follow, mostly grown on smallholdings and sold at weekly markets.
Getting that produce out is the standing problem. Farmers in both LGAs lose money because tarred access roads to the villages do not exist; the Zing–Monkin road, awarded as a federal constituency project more than a decade ago, was abandoned unfinished. Traders therefore buy at the farm gate at low prices, or crops are moved by motorcycle over dirt tracks.
Beyond farming, the LGA runs on petty trade, livestock keeping, and public sector jobs in the local government secretariat, schools and the health centres at Zing and Monkin.
Getting There
Most journeys start at Jalingo, about 40 km to the west-south-west, which has the nearest motor parks and the nearest airport at Jalingo Airport. From Jalingo, shared taxis and minibuses run north-east to Zing town, and motorcycles cover the last stretch to villages such as Bubong, Dinding and Bitako.
Roads inside the LGA are largely untarred, so travel slows sharply between June and September, when the rains cut some village routes. Dry-season travel, from November to March, is the reliable window.
FAQ
How many towns and villages are in Zing?
This page lists 113 towns, villages and hamlets in Zing LGA, verified against INEC polling unit records, GeoNames and GRID3 settlement data.
What is the headquarters of Zing LGA?
Zing town is the headquarters and holds the local government secretariat.
What is the population of Zing?
Zing recorded a population of 127,685 at the 2006 census. The 2022 projection is 200,900.
What is the Zing LGA postcode?
The postal code is 661103 for the whole LGA.
What language is spoken in Zing?
Mumuye is the main language, spoken by the 12 Mumuye clans that make up most of the population. Hausa is used for trade.
How many wards does Zing have?
Ten: Bitako, Bubong, Dinding, Lamma, Monkin A, Monkin B, Yakoko, Zing A I, Zing A II and Zing B.
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