Kaduna is the capital city of

Kaduna State Kaduna State ( ha, Jihar Kaduna جىِهَر كَدُنا; ff, Leydi Kaduna, script=Latn, ; kcg, Sitet Kaduna) is a state in northern Nigeria. The state capital is its namesake, the city of Kaduna which happened to be the 8th largest city in ...

, and the former political capital of

Northern Nigeria Northern Nigeria was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962 it acquired the territory of the British Nort ...

. It is located in north-western

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

, on the

Kaduna River The Kaduna River is a tributary of the Niger River which flows for through Nigeria. It got its name from the crocodiles that lived in the river and surrounding area. Kaduna in the native dialect, Hausa, was the word for "crocodiles". It starts ...

. It is a trade Centre and a major transportation hub as the gateway to northern Nigeria, with its rail and important road network. The population of Kaduna was at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census. Rapid urbanization since 2005 has created an increasingly large population, now estimated to be around 1.3 million. The project population of people in Kaduna state as at 2021 is 8.9 million people.

Etymology

The etymology of the word ''Kaduna'' is said to be a corruption of the Hausa word for "crocodiles", ''Kaddani'' in the Hausa language (''kaduna'' being the plural form). Another version of the name proposes a link to the

Gbagyi Gbagyi or Gbari (plural - Agbagyi/Agbari) is the name and the language of Gbagyi/Gbari ethnic group who are predominantly found in Central Nigeria, with a population of about 1 million people. Members of the ethnic group speak two dialects. While ...

word/name 'Odna', meaning 'river'.

History

Kaduna was founded by

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

colonists in 1900. The first British governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir

Frederick Lugard Frederick John Dealtry Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard (22 January 1858 – 11 April 1945), known as Sir Frederick Lugard between 1901 and 1928, was a British soldier, mercenary, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator. He was Governor of Hong ...

, chose the present site for development due to its proximity to the Lagos-Kano Railway. It became the capital of Nigeria's former Northern Region in 1917, and retained this status until 1967. The city is still influential as the headquarters of various political, military and cultural organizations especially in northern Nigeria.

Economy

River Kaduna and Old Railway Bridge, Another View

Industries

Kaduna is a major industrial centre in Northern Nigeria, manufacturing products like

textile Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

s, machinery, steel,

aluminium Aluminium (aluminum in American and Canadian English) is a chemical element with the symbol Al and atomic number 13. Aluminium has a density lower than those of other common metals, at approximately one third that of steel. I ...

petroleum Petroleum, also known as crude oil, or simply oil, is a naturally occurring yellowish-black liquid mixture of mainly hydrocarbons, and is found in geological formations. The name ''petroleum'' covers both naturally occurring unprocessed crud ...

products and bearings. However, the textile industry has been in decline due to recent Chinese imports and factory closures caused by years of neglect during the

military dictatorship in Nigeria The military dictatorship in Nigeria was a period when members of the Nigerian Armed Forces held power in Nigeria from 1966 to 1999 with an interregnum from 1979 to 1983. The military was able to rise to power often with the tacit support of t ...

. Other light manufactures include: plastics, pharmaceuticals,

leather Leather is a strong, flexible and durable material obtained from the tanning, or chemical treatment, of animal skins and hides to prevent decay. The most common leathers come from cattle, sheep, goats, equine animals, buffalo, pigs and hog ...

goods, furniture, and televisions.

Agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...

is also a major industry in Kaduna, and as such, the Bank of Agriculture has its headquarters in the city. Some of the main agricultural exports include: cotton, peanuts, sorghum, and ginger. Kaduna also has a branch of the

Nigerian Stock Exchange The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) now Nigerian Exchange Group is a Nigerian stock exchange founded in 1961 in Lagos. As of November 2019, it has a total of 161 listed companies, with 8 domestic companies on the premium board, 144 companies on the ...

Automobile manufacturing The automotive industry comprises a wide range of companies and organizations involved in the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industries by revenue (from 16 % such ...

also remains an important part of Kaduna's economy. Peugeot Automobiles Nigeria has an

assembly plant A factory, manufacturing plant or a production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. T ...

in Kaduna. Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), one of Nigeria's four main

oil refineries An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where petroleum (crude oil) is transformed and refined into useful products such as gasoline (petrol), diesel fuel, asphalt base, fuel oils, heating oil, kerosene, lique ...

is located in Kaduna. It is supplied by a pipeline from the

Niger Delta The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitic ...

oil fields. A 2009

World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of low- and middle-income countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. The World Bank is the collective name for the Inte ...

survey states that Kaduna is one of the top six cities with the highest

unemployment Unemployment, according to the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), is people above a specified age (usually 15) not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the refere ...

. 20% of the population was estimated to be unemployed.

Sports and tourism

There is a large

racecourse A race track (racetrack, racing track or racing circuit) is a facility built for racing of vehicles, athletes, or animals (e.g. horse racing or greyhound racing). A race track also may feature grandstands or concourses. Race tracks are also use ...

named Murtala Mohammed Square, approximately round, inside which is found the

Kaduna Polo Club Kaduna International Polo Club is one of the oldest polo club in Nigeria. It is located in Kaduna state at the Murtala Ramat Mohammed Square. History It was founded in 1918, the Patron of the club is His Royal Highness Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabi ...

. Kaduna Golf Club is also located within the Kaduna CBD. Other Sports facilities include the

Ahmadu Bello Stadium The Ahmadu Bello Stadium, simply referred to as ABS is a multi-purpose stadium in Kaduna City, Kaduna State, Nigeria. It was designed in 1965 by the English architects Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry. As of 2016, it is used mostly for football match ...

and Ranchers Bees Stadium. There are several hotels in the city.

Infrastructure

The infrastructure network in the city are currently being developed under the administration of

Nasir el-Rufai Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (born 16 February 1960) is a Nigerian politician who is the Governor of Kaduna State, in office since 2015. He was the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2003 to 2007; and the director of the Bureau of Public ...

. Kaduna has an inland dry port. The Nigerian military has several installations in the city including the

Nigerian Defence Academy The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) is a military university based in Kaduna, Nigeria that trains officer cadets for commissioning into one of the three services of the Nigerian Armed Forces: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. The duration of ...

Airport

The city is served by Kaduna International Airport. The airport commenced operations in 1982. The Nigerian Air Force maintains a presence in the city.

Railways

Kaduna is also on the route of the planned Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway, which has been completed between the national capital of Abuja and Kaduna. Trains for Abuja depart from the Rigasa Railway Station in Kaduna. Kaduna is an important junction on Nigeria's Cape gauge railway network. At Kaduna, a branch line connects the

Lagos Lagos (Nigerian English: ; ) is the largest city in Nigeria and the second most populous city in Africa, with a population of 15.4 million as of 2015 within the city proper. Lagos was the national capital of Nigeria until December 1991 fo ...

–Nguru Railway to the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri railway.

Education

Kaduna is popularly known as the centre of learning, as evident from the numerous educational institutions located in the state. Tertiary Institutions in Kaduna city include: *

Kaduna State University Kaduna State University is located in Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria. It was established in 2004. It has seven faculties with over 39 departments and a library that contains over 17,000 volumes of books. It has two campuses: Kafanchan and Kaduna. ...

(NDA), Kaduna *

Greenfield University Greenfield University is a private university in Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a countr ...

Kaduna *

National Open University of Nigeria The National Open University of Nigeria is a federal open and distance learning (ODL) institution, the first of its kind in the West African sub-region. It is Nigeria's largest tertiary institution in terms of student number and is popularly ...

, Kaduna Study Center *

Air Force Institute of Technology The Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) is a graduate school and provider of professional and continuing education for the United States Armed Forces and is part of the United States Air Force. It is in Ohio at Wright-Patterson Air For ...

, Kaduna *

National Teachers Institute The National Teachers' Institute (NTI) is a single-mode distance learning institution focused on teacher education. The institute has satellite campuses in all the 774 local government areas in Nigeria. History The National Teachers' Institute w ...

(NTI), Kaduna * School of Midwifery Kaduna *

Kaduna Polytechnic Kaduna Polytechnic is one of the earliest polytechnics in Nigeria, located at Tudun Wada area of Kaduna South local government of Kaduna state, North-Western Nigeria. It was established in 1956 as Kaduna Technical Institute after the British ...

(1968), Kaduna *

National board for Islamic and Arabic studies National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

*Kaduna Business School * Dialogue Institute Kaduna *Institute of Ophthalmology, National Eye Centre, Kaduna. *National board for Arabic and Islamic studies *National center for nomadic education *Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State

Places of worship

Among the

places of worship A place of worship is a specially designed structure or space where individuals or a group of people such as a congregation come to perform acts of devotion, veneration, or religious study. A building constructed or used for this purpose is somet ...

, there are churches and mosques. Sultan Bello Mosque is the biggest and a central mosque in Kaduna. There are also churches:

Church of Nigeria The Church of Nigeria is the Anglican church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptised membership (not by attendance), after the Church of England. it gives its membership as "over 18 mi ...

(

Anglican Communion The Anglican Communion is the third largest Christian communion after the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Founded in 1867 in London, the communion has more than 85 million members within the Church of England and other ...

), Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (

World Communion of Reformed Churches The World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) is the largest association of Calvinist churches in the world. It has 230 member denominations in 108 countries, together claiming an estimated 80 million people, thus being the fourth-largest Chris ...

Nigerian Baptist Convention Nigerian Baptist Convention is a Baptist Christian denomination, affiliated with the Baptist World Alliance, in Nigeria. The office headquarters is in Ibadan, Nigeria. Rev. Dr. Israel Adélaní Àkànjí MFA is the president. History The Nige ...

(

Baptist World Alliance The Baptist World Alliance (BWA) is the largest international Baptist organization with an estimated 51 million people in 2022 with 246 member bodies in 128 countries and territories. A voluntary association of Baptist churches, the BWA account ...

), Living Faith Church Worldwide,

Redeemed Christian Church of God The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) is a Pentecostal megachurch and denomination founded in Lagos, Nigeria. The General overseer (most senior pastor) is Enoch Adeboye, ordained in 1981. The church in Lagos had an average church attendanc ...

, Assemblies of God,

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna is the Metropolitan See for the Ecclesiastical province of Kaduna in Nigeria. History * 1911.08.24: The Apostolic Prefecture of Eastern Nigeria was created from the Apostolic Prefecture of Upper Nige ...

(

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Mountain of fire and miracles ministries, North central 2 Mega Regional HQ A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...

(http://www.mountainoffire.org),

Universal Reformed Christian Church, Kaduna Universal is the adjective for universe. Universal may also refer to: Companies * NBCUniversal, a media and entertainment company ** Universal Animation Studios, an American Animation studio, and a subsidiary of NBCUniversal ** Universal TV, a t ...

(Protestant Church).

Climate

Notable people

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab ( ar, عمر فاروق عبد المطلب ; also known as Umar Abdul Mutallab and Omar Farooq al-Nigeri; born December 22, 1986) popularly referred to as the "Underwear Bomber" or "Christmas Bomber", is a Nigerian-bor ...

, the "underwear bomber" suspect of the terrorist arson attempt on Northwest flight 253 in December 2009, grew up here and returned to the city on holiday. *

Tijani Babangida Tijani Babangida (born 25 September 1973) is a Nigerian former professional footballer, who played as a winger. Known for his pace, his playing style was sometimes compared to that of Marc Overmars. Babangida spent the majority of his playing c ...

, footballer who played winger with Ajax *

Celestine Babayaro Celestine Boyd Jonto Hycieth Babayaro (born 29 August 1978) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a left-back or a midfielder. Babayaro spent the majority of his career playing in the Premier League, mainly for Chelsea from ...

, footballer who played mainly in the

Premier League The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Fo ...

Michael Eneramo Michael Eneramo (born 26 November 1985) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Club career Eneramo began his career with Lobi Stars and was in 2004 scouted by Tunisian top club Espérance Sportive de Tunis, he ...

, footballer *

Fiona Fullerton Fiona Elizabeth Fullerton (born 10 October 1956) is a British actress and singer, known for her role as Alice in the 1972 film ''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' and as Bond girl KGB spy Pola Ivanova in the 1985 James Bond film ''A View to a ...

, British actress and former

Bond girl A Bond girl is a character who is a love interest or female companion of James Bond in a novel, film or video game. Bond girls occasionally have names that are double entendres or puns, such as Pussy Galore, Plenty O'Toole, Xenia Onatopp, o ...

Leke James Leke Samson James (born 1 November 1992) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Sivasspor in Süper Lig. Club career Early career He started out his career in his native homeland playing for Bridge Boys. Aalesund He ...

, footballer * Shehu Musa Yaradua politician and elder statesman *

Zamani Lekwot Zamani Lekwot (born 19 July 1944) in Jankasa, is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as the military governor of Rivers State, Nigeria from July 1975 to July 1978 during the military administration of Generals Murtala Muhammed and Ol ...

, statesman *

Umaru mutallab Alhaji Umaru Abdul Mutallab (born 15 December 1939) is a Nigerian businessman and financier, who served under the military government of General Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo. Mutallab was described by ''The New York Times'' as "among ...

Nigerian business mogul * Hassan usman katsina elder statesman. *

Magaji Muhammed Magaji Muhammed (31 December 1940–April 2017) headed the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs until the June 2006, when he resigned to pursue a gubernatorial ambition, and he was succeeded by Oluyemi Adeniji. He is also a former Minist ...

politician and elder statesman. * Mamman daura elder statesman * Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, politician * Mohammed Namadi Sambo, politician *

Shehu Sani Shehu Sani (born 29 October 1967) is a Nigerian senator, an author, playwright and a human rights activist. He is the President of the Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria - (CRCN). and the Chairman of Hand-in-Hand, Africa. He was a leading figur ...

, politician *

Uba Sani Uba Sani (born 31 December 1970) is a Nigerian politician and the incumbent senator for Kaduna Central senatorial district of Kaduna State at the National Assembly (Nigeria), National Assembly Abuja and also the APC governorship aspirant. He was ...

, politician * Dahiru Sadi, footballer * Adam A Zango,

Kannywood Hausa-language cinema, known informally as Kannywood, is the Hausa-language film industry of Northern Nigeria. It is based in Kano. Kannywood Kannywood is the sobriquet for Hausa-language cinema. It is a part of the larger Nigerian cinema, ...

actor, musician, singer and dancer. * Talib Zanna (born 1990), basketball player in the

Israel Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional competition in Israeli club basketball, making it Israel's primary basketball c ...

Efe Ambrose Efetobore Eric “Efe” Ambrose Emuobo (born 18 October 1988) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays as a defender for Greenock Morton. Ambrose has previously played for Kaduna United, Bayelsa United, Israeli club Ashdod, Scottish c ...

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...

who played for the

Nigeria national football team The Nigeria national football team represents Nigeria in men's international football. Governed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), they are three-time Africa Cup of Nations winners, with their most recent title in 2013. In April 1994, ...

was born and raised here

References

External links

{{Authority control State capitals in Nigeria Populated places in Kaduna State Cities in Nigeria 1913 establishments in the Northern Nigeria Protectorate Populated places established in 1913