Enugu ( ; ) is the capital city of
Enugu State
Enugu () verbally pronounced as "Enụgwụ" by the Igbo indigenes is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by the states of Benue and Kogi, Ebonyi State to the east and southeast, Abia State to the so ...
in
Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
. The city had a population of 4,690,100 spread across the three
LGAs of
Enugu East
Enugu East is a Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Enugu East is made up of three zones/districts: Nike-Uno, Ugwogo and Mbuli NjodoIts. Headquarters are in the town of Nkwo Nike.
It had an area of 383 km and a population of ...
,
Enugu North
Enugu North is a Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the city of Enugu at Opkara Avenue. The LGA is made up of five main district areas Amaigbo Lane, Onuato, Umunevo, Enugwu-Ngwo and Ihenwuzi. Enugu North is on ...
and
Enugu South
Enugu South is a Local Government Areas of Nigeria, Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Uwani, Nnobi Street Enugu, and covers the communities of Akwuke, Amechi, Ugwuaji, Obeagu, Awkunanaw and Amechi- ...
, according to the 2022 Nigerian census.
History
Early history
Énugwú (Igbo verbalization of Enugu) is the capital city of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in southeastern part of Nigeria. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Énú Ụ́gwụ́, meaning "hill top", denoting the city's hilly geography. Enugu acquired township status in 1917 and was called Enugwu-Ngwo, but because of the rapid expansion towards areas owned by other indigenous communities, the city was renamed Enugu in 1928.
The first settlement in the Enugu area was the small Nike village of Ogui from present day Igala which was present since the era of the
Atlantic Slave Trade
The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...
.
[Udo, p. 88.] ''Nike'' in the Igbo language means "with strength or power".
[Williams, p. 196.] The Nike people acquired most of their lands through
slave raiding
Slave raiding is a military raid for the purpose of capturing people and bringing them from the raid area to serve as slaves. Once seen as a normal part of warfare, it is nowadays widely considered a war crime. Slave raiding has occurred sinc ...
, as the area was mostly unsettled. The Nike people used slaves as part of their defence strategy. They placed Slave camps at the edge of their territories so that it was harder for an enemy to access the free-born people.
The Nike were allied to the
Aro people
The Aro people or Aros are an Igbo group that originated from the Arochukwu kingdom in present-day Abia state, Nigeria. The Aros can also be found in about 250 other settlements mostly in the Southeastern Nigeria and adjacent areas. The Aros tod ...
, who formed the
Aro Confederacy
The Aro Confederacy (1640–1902) was a political union orchestrated by the Aro people, an Igbo subgroup, centered in Arochukwu in present-day southeastern Nigeria. The Aro Confederacy was founded after the end of the Aro-Ibibio Wars. Their in ...
(1690–1901). This Igbo organisation controlled slave trading in the Enugu area.
Numerous Aro people came to trade from
Arochukwu
Arochukwu Local Government Area, sometimes referred to as Arochuku or Aro Oke igbo is the third largest local government area in Abia State (after Aba and Umuahia) in southeastern Nigeria and homeland of the Igbo subgroup, Aro people.
It ...
in the south; the
Hausa people
The Hausa (Endonym, autonyms for singular: Bahaushe (male, m), Bahaushiya (female, f); plural: Hausawa and general: Hausa; exonyms: Ausa; Ajami script, Ajami: ) are a native ethnic group in West Africa. They speak the Hausa language, which is the ...
came to trade from the north. The Hausa traders provided horses to the Nike, who used them for Igbo rituals. Both the Aro and Hausa regularly migrated back and forth to what is now the city of Enugu, and were considered foreigners to the area.
Industrialisation

A British campaign to invade Arochukwu and open up the hinterland for British military and political rule was carried out in 1901. A war between the British and Aro officially started on 1 December 1901; it lasted until 24 March 1902 when the Aro were defeated.
The Aro Confederacy ended, and the British added the rest of Aro-dominated areas to The Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, declared in 1900.
Europeans first arrived in the Enugu area in 1903 when the British/Australian
geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the structure, composition, and History of Earth, history of Earth. Geologists incorporate techniques from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and geography to perform research in the Field research, ...
Albert Ernest Kitson
Sir Albert Ernest Kitson, (21 March 1868 – 8 March 1937) was a British-Australian geologist, naturalist, and winner of the Lyell Medal in 1927.
Early life
Kitson was born in North Street, Audenshaw, Cheshire, England, the son of John ...
led an exploration of the
Southern Nigeria Protectorate
Southern Nigeria was a British protectorate in the coastal areas of modern-day Nigeria formed in 1900 from the union of the Niger Coast Protectorate with territories chartered by the Royal Niger Company below Lokoja on the Niger River.
The L ...
to search for especially valued mineral resources under the supervision of the
Imperial Institute, London. By 1909 they found coal under the village of Enugwu Ngwo
in the Udi area.
By 1913 the coal was confirmed to be in quantities that would be viable commercially.
[
By 1914 the colonial government had merged the ]Northern
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating ...
and Southern Nigeria Protectorate to form the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.
In 1915 the British began talks with the indigenous people of the land that would become Enugu about its acquisition in order to lay the Eastern Line railway and to build a colliery. The first houses built in the area were in a temporary settlement consisting of Igbo traditional clay and earthwork housing inhabited by a W. J. Leck and some other Europeans on Hill-top. This was the only plain on the escarpment rolling before the jungled Milliken Hill. Historic former residences of the colonialists, known as the "Europeans quarters", still survive on the Hill-top. It is now an outskirt of Enugwu-Ngwo town.
As a result of industrialization, settlements sprang up in the area now known as Enugu. The settlement known as ''Ugwu Alfred'' (Igbo: Alfred's Hill) or "Alfred's Camp", was developed on a hillside and inhabited by Alfred Inoma (a leader of indigenous Coal labourers from Onitsha
Onitsha ( or simply ''Ọ̀nị̀chà'') is a city on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. Onitsha along with various cities and towns in southern Anambra State, northern Imo State and neighboring Delta State on the we ...
) and his labourers. Another settlement known as Ugwu Aaron (Igbo: Aaron's Hill) or "Aaron's Camp", was also developed on a hillside and inhabited by Aaron Nwaelo (a leader of indigenous Railway labourers from Ezeagu) and his labourers.
After the British acquired land here, 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, explorer of Africa and colonial administrator. He was Governor of Hong Kong (1907� ...
, the Governor-General of Nigeria
The governor-general of Nigeria was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in Colonial Nigeria from 1954 to 1960, and after Nigerian independence in 1960, the representative of the Nigerian head of state.
The office was created ...
at the time, named the colliery built at the bottom of the Udi Hills as ''Enugu Coal Camp'' to distinguish it from Enugwu Ngwo which overlooks the city from atop a scarp to the west of Enugu.
The first coal mine in the Enugu area was the Udi mine; it opened in 1915, and closed two years later when it was replaced with the Iva Valley mine.[Udo, pp. 196–197.][Sklar, pp. 207–210.] Enugu became a major coal mining
Coal mining is the process of resource extraction, extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its Energy value of coal, energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to Electricity generation, generate electr ...
area, the only significant one in West Africa.[ The Eastern Line railway connecting Enugu with ]Port Harcourt
Port Harcourt (Pidgin: ''Po-ta-kot or Pi-ta-kwa)'' is the capital and largest city of Rivers State in Nigeria. It is the fifth most populous city in Nigeria after Lagos, Kano, Ibadan and Benin. It lies along the Bonny River and is locate ...
was completed in 1916 in order to facilitate the export of coal through its seaport and the city was developed sole for this purpose.
Enugu became one of the few cities in West Africa
West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
created explicitly from contact with Europeans. By 1916 the colonial government designated parts of Enugu as reserved for Europeans. The area now known as the Government Reserved Area (GRA) was called the European Quarters, located north of the Ogbete River. To the south of the river was a section developed for African residents. The built-up area of Enugu comprised these two areas, and by 1917 the city officially gained township status. On the African side of the city, a rapid influx of migrant workers led to the development of squatter camps on the Udi Hills near the coal mines and the Iva Valley.
In 1929, Enugu became the administrative headquarters for the Southern Province under the post-World War II constitutions. With this, the number of government departments represented in the town increased tremendously. In 1938 Enugu became the administrative capital of the Eastern Region Eastern Region or East Region may refer to:
* Eastern Region (Abu Dhabi): Al Ain
*Eastern Region, Ghana
*Eastern Region (Iceland)
*Eastern Region, Malta
*Eastern Region, Nepal
*Eastern Region, Nigeria
* Eastern Region, Serbia
*Eastern Region, Ugand ...
. The number of employed coal miners in Enugu grew from 6,000 (of mostly Udi Udi may refer to:
Places
* Udi, Enugu, a local government areas and city in Nigeria
* Udi Hills, Enugu State, Nigeria
* Udi, a place in the Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh, India
People Given name
* Udi Aloni (born 1959), Israeli-American film ...
men) in 1948 to 8,000 in 1958. Enugu's population rose sharply with its industrialisation; the population of the city reached 62,000 in 1952.[ Under colonial British rule, working conditions in Nigeria were harsh, characterized by regular physical punishment, forced acts of humiliation, and irregular payments of ]arrears
In finance, arrears (or arrearage) is a legal term for the part of a debt that is overdue after missing one or more required payments. The amount of the arrears is the amount accrued from the date on which the first missed payment was due. The t ...
owed to workers. In late 1949, local miners believed that large sums of arrears were owed to them, but were being withheld by the mines' management. These beliefs were fueled by local " Zikist", or nationalist, press. "Zikism" was a post World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
movement that was created out of admiration for Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), commonly referred to as Zik of Africa, was a Nigerian politician, statesman, and revolutionary leader who served as the 3rd and first black governor-general of Nigeria from 1960 ...
who was a prominent nationalist of the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons
The National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) (later changed to the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens), was a Nigerian nationalist political party from 1944 to 1966, during the period leading up to independence and immediatel ...
(NCNC). Labour tensions in Enugu came to a head on 18 November 1949, when British police massacred striking miners, killing 21 and wounding 51 others. The massacre that came to be known as "The Iva Valley Shooting" fueled Zikist sentiments among most Nigerians, and especially amongst Eastern Nigerians.[Coleman, pp. 296—302.] Multiple Zikist groups used the shooting to fuel their calls for independence, and to push the British imperial administration out of Nigeria. A detailed account of the incident was also published in the memoirs of the British Resident of Enugu at the time, James Stewart Smith.
Independence, war, and after
Enugu became a municipality in 1956 with Umaru Altine its first mayor.[ After four years passed, Nigeria gained its independence in 1960. On 27 May 1967 the Nigerian government divided the ]Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
, Northern
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North
North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating ...
and Eastern Region into 12 states and Enugu was made the capital of the new East Central State. On 30 May 1967 Enugu was declared the capital of the short-lived Republic of Biafra
Biafara anglicized as Biafra ( ), officially the Republic of Biafra, was a partially recognised state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 to 1970. Its territory consisted of the former Eastern Region o ...
, the latter created out of the eastern Nigerian states of East Central, Cross River and Rivers
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it ru ...
. Biafra was declared by Ojukwu because of Eastern Nigeria after their members were attacked injured and killed in a series of ethnic attacks launched by some other ethnic groups in other parts of the country following the first military coup executed by mostly Igbo Officers, in which top northern Nigerian leaders among others were assassinated. The main rivals of the mostly Igbo Eastern Nigerians were the Hausa
Hausa may refer to:
* Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa
* Hausa language, spoken in West Africa
* Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states
* Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse
See also
...
/Fulani
The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people are an ethnic group in Sahara, Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. Inhabiting many countries, they live mainly in West Africa and northern parts of Central Africa, South Sudan, Darfur, ...
people of Northern Nigeria. A northern headed war on the secession (1967–1970) and continuous attacks on the Igbos in other part of Nigeria lead Igbos from northern and western Nigeria to return to their "native" areas in eastern Nigeria and Enugu became a destination. Radio Biafra
Radio Biafra, also known as Voice of Biafra, is a radio station and a trademark that was founded by the defunct Republic of Biafra. It was operated by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader and Alphonsus Uche Okafor-Mefor who served as the deputy ...
, alternatively the Voice of Biafra (formerly the Eastern Nigerian Broadcasting Service), was based in Enugu; it was from here that the Biafran leader, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (4 November 193326 November 2011) was a Nigerian military officer and political figure who served as President of Biafra from 1967 to 1970. As the military governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria, which he declar ...
, broadcast speeches and propaganda to Biafrans and Nigeria. Because of the war, Enugu witnessed a decrease in the number of non-Igbo, specifically non-eastern Nigerian residents.[ On 4 October 1967 the Nigerian military bombarded Enugu with artillery just outside its boundaries before capturing it a week later, shortly after this ]Umuahia
Umuahia () is the capital city of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. Umuahia is located along the rail road that lies between Port Harcourt to its south, and Enugu city to its north. Umuahia has a population of 359,230 according to the 2006 Ni ...
became the new capital of the republic. Years after the Republic of Biafra reverted to Nigeria, Enugu is still regarded as the "Capital of Igboland".
Enugu resumed in 1970 as the capital of the East Central State after the republic was dissolved. On 3 February 1976 the East Central State was made into two new states, Imo and Anambra
Anambra () is a state in Nigeria. It is located in the South-eastern region of the country. The state was created on 27 August 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State and Rivers State to the south, Enugu State to ...
; there were then 19 states in Nigeria; Enugu was the capital of Anambra. On 27 August 1991 the military dictatorship of Ibrahim Babangida
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (born 17 August 1941) is a Nigerian statesman and military dictator who ruled as military president of Nigeria from 1985 when he orchestrated a coup d'état against his military and political arch-rival Muhammadu ...
divided the old Anambra State into two new states, Enugu State and Anambra State. Enugu remained as the capital of the newly created Enugu State, while Awka
Awka () is the capital city of Anambra State, Nigeria. The city was declared capital on 21 August 1991, on the creation of a new Anambra state and Enugu state by bifurcation of the old Anambra State. The city of Enugu remained the capital of Enu ...
became the capital of the new Anambra State.
Geography
Topography
Despite its name meaning ''hill top'' in the Igbo language, Enugu lies at the foot of an escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations.
Due to the similarity, the term '' scarp'' may mistakenly be incorrectly used inte ...
and not a hill. Enugu is located in the Cross River basin and the Benue trough
The Benue Trough is a major geological structure underlying a large part of Nigeria and extending about 1,000 km northeast from the Bight of Benin to Lake Chad. It is part of the broader West and Central African Rift System.
Location
The ...
and has the best developed coal in this area. Precambrian
The Precambrian ( ; or pre-Cambrian, sometimes abbreviated pC, or Cryptozoic) is the earliest part of Earth's history, set before the current Phanerozoic Eon. The Precambrian is so named because it preceded the Cambrian, the first period of t ...
basement rock in this region is overlaid with sediments bearing coal from the Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 143.1 to 66 mya (unit), million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era (geology), Era, as well as the longest. At around 77.1 million years, it is the ...
and Tertiary
Tertiary (from Latin, meaning 'third' or 'of the third degree/order..') may refer to:
* Tertiary period, an obsolete geologic period spanning from 66 to 2.6 million years ago
* Tertiary (chemistry), a term describing bonding patterns in organic ch ...
age. Coal seams in the Enugu coal district measure between in thickness and the reserves have been estimated to be more than 300 million tones. Enugu's hills at the extreme may reach an elevation of . Highlands surrounding Enugu for the most part are underlain by sandstone, while lowlands are underlain by shale
Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock formed from mud that is a mix of flakes of Clay mineral, clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g., Kaolinite, kaolin, aluminium, Al2Silicon, Si2Oxygen, O5(hydroxide, OH)4) and tiny f ...
. Much of the escarpment stretching from Enugu to Orlu has been ravaged by soil and gully erosion.[ Other geological features in Enugu include the Nike Lake near which the Nike Lake Resort has been built.] The Ekulu, Asata, Ogbete, Aria, Idaw and Nyaba rivers are the six largest rivers located in the city. The Ekulu River is the largest body of water in Enugu urban and its reservoir contributes to part of the city's domestic water supply.
Water
Access to water has historically been a significant challenge in Enugu. Drilling of borehole in the city is usually an exercise in futility because of the geological formation which has coal large deposits of coal underground. The residents got water by buying from commercial water tanker drivers, digging water wells and harvesting and storing rain water. The Enugu State Water Corporation was established in 1991 to address these challenges and is responsible for providing portable water to the urban population of Enugu State. The corporation's primary focus is on serving residents in Enugu Urban and Nsukka Urban, covering areas of 85 square kilometers and 30 square kilometers, respectively. Water production schemes in Enugu State are: Iva Valley Headworks designed to produce 4,500 cubic meter per day, Ajalli Owa Scheme with installed capacity of 77,000 cubic meter per day, Oji Augmentation Scheme that produces 50,000 cubic meter per day and Nsukka Scheme producing 19,000 cubic meter per day. Enugu's water supply infrastructure has not kept pace with its growing population. However, in 2021 the Enugu State government received $50million from French Development Agency, AFD, to support the state to revitalize the water schemes at 9th Mile Corner Nsude and Oji River. The Peter Mbah administration in November 2023 using the funds completed the water scheme at 9th Mile Corner Nsude, increasing the daily water production from an occasional 2 million liters to 70 million liters, with the Oji River water scheme expected to add another 50 million liters daily, bringing the total to 120 million liters daily. Reticulation of water to the various buildings remains a challenge, though being continuously addressed by the administration, as aged asbestos pipes are being replaced with modern ductile pipes.
Climate
Enugu is located in a tropical rain forest zone with a derived savannah. The city has a tropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...
(Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
: ''Aw''). Enugu's climate is humid, and this humidity is at its highest between March and November.[ For the whole of Enugu State the mean daily temperature is .][ As in the rest of West Africa, the ]rainy season
The rainy season is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs.
Rainy Season may also refer to:
* ''Rainy Season'' (short story), a 1989 short horror story by Stephen King
* "Rainy Season", a 2018 song by Monni
* '' ...
and dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
are the only weather periods that recur in Enugu. The average annual rainfall in Enugu is around , which arrives intermittently and becomes very heavy during the rainy season. Other weather conditions affecting the city include Harmattan
The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into th ...
, a dusty trade wind
The trade winds or easterlies are permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere, ...
lasting a few weeks of December and January.[Udo, p. 67.] Like the rest of Nigeria, Enugu is hot all year round.
Cityscape and architecture
The tallest building in Enugu's Central Business District (CBD) is the African Continental Bank (ACB) tower with six stories. The tower was built in the late 50s for the African Continental Bank Limited which was founded by Nnamdi Azikiwe
Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), commonly referred to as Zik of Africa, was a Nigerian politician, statesman, and revolutionary leader who served as the 3rd and first black governor-general of Nigeria from 1960 ...
who became the first president of Nigeria after the country's independence from the United Kingdom in October 1960. The opening of the building took place on 30 April 1959. Other tall buildings include the Hotel Presidential opened in August 1963. The seven-story building contains 100 rooms and is located in the Independence Layout. Hotel Presidential cost $2.5 million to build and was commissioned by the government of what was then the Eastern Region to serve visiting businessmen, officials and tourists. In the middle of Enugu is the Michael Okpara Square, dedicated to the premier of the former Eastern Region Michael Okpara
Michael Iheonukara Okpara (25 December 1920 – 17 December 1984) was a Nigerian politician and Premier of Eastern Nigeria during the First Republic, from 1959 to 1966. At 39, he was the nation's youngest premier. He was a strong advocate of wh ...
. Beside the square is located the Enugu State Government House, Enugu State House of Assembly and Enugu State Judiciary Complex.
Enugu's coal mines are dotted around on the outskirts of the city, a majority of which are closed. The Colliery Camp mines are located in the Iva Valley which is near the neighboring town of Ngwo and the Hilltop of Enugu. The Iva Valley coal mine is accessed through the Iva Valley road linking Enugu with Ngwo. Other coal mines are located in the Ogbete and Coal Camp layouts; these mines are located on the periphery of the city near the Iva Valley as well.
Architectural design in Enugu's early years was in the hands of the British colonial administration; Enugu's architecture was consequently very European. English cottage housing and Victorian houses
In Great Britain and former British colonies, a Victorian house generally means any house built during the reign of Queen Victoria. During the Industrial Revolution, successive housing booms resulted in the building of many millions of Victori ...
were used for housing Europeans and Nigerian colonial civil servants in the early 20th century until Europeans started trying to adapt their architecture to the tropical climate. Some other examples of these European styles are visible in churches of the colonial era, such as the Holy Ghost Cathedral with its Greco-Roman
The Greco-Roman world , also Greco-Roman civilization, Greco-Roman culture or Greco-Latin culture (spelled Græco-Roman or Graeco-Roman in British English), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and co ...
stained glass windows depicting Europeans. Enugu's roads were reflective of its British rule; much of the city's narrow roads in the GRA have been preserved dating back to the incorporation of the city itself. Low rent one bedroom flats in Enugu and other Nigerian cities are known as "face-me-I-face-you
Face-me-I-face-you or Face-to-face is a term for a specific type of residential real estate in Nigeria, where a group of one or two-room apartments have their entrances facing each other along a walkway, which leads to the main entrance of the a ...
" for the way a group of flats face each other and form a square where a compound entrance is led into.
Government
Enugu city covers three local government areas
A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory.
The ph ...
: Enugu East
Enugu East is a Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Enugu East is made up of three zones/districts: Nike-Uno, Ugwogo and Mbuli NjodoIts. Headquarters are in the town of Nkwo Nike.
It had an area of 383 km and a population of ...
, Enugu North
Enugu North is a Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the city of Enugu at Opkara Avenue. The LGA is made up of five main district areas Amaigbo Lane, Onuato, Umunevo, Enugwu-Ngwo and Ihenwuzi. Enugu North is on ...
and Enugu South
Enugu South is a Local Government Areas of Nigeria, Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Uwani, Nnobi Street Enugu, and covers the communities of Akwuke, Amechi, Ugwuaji, Obeagu, Awkunanaw and Amechi- ...
. A Local Government Council exists for each of these seats that manages sectors including primary education and health; an elected Executive Chairman and a group of elected Councilors form the Local Government Council that heads each Local Government Area. Enugu South is split between its rural and urban parts when electing an Executive Chairman. The Executive Chairmen include Paul Ogbe for Enugu South Urban, Theresa Egbo for Enugu South Rural, Emma Onoh for Enugu North, and Christopher Ugwu for Enugu East; these chairmen represent their LGA's in the Enugu State House of Assembly. The Ministry of Lands, Survey and Town Planning (at the state level) and the Local Planning Authority (at the local government level) are responsible for the administration of urban lands and town planning. Government House, Enugu is where the government of the state is based. On the federal level, the city of Enugu is split between two congressional areas; Enugu North/South represented by Chukwuegbo Ofor and Enugu East represented by Gilbert Nnaji; both representatives are in the People's Democratic Party (PDP) as his excellency Peter Mbah , the governor of Enugu State.
Demographics
According to the 2006 Nigerian census, the Enugu metropolitan area has an estimated population of 722,664.[ This estimate along with population estimates of other Nigerian cities have been disputed with accusations of population inflation and deflation in favour of the Northern Nigeria, northern part of the country.] The population of Enugu is predominantly Christian, as is the rest of southeastern Nigeria
Igbo land ( Standard ) is a cultural and common linguistic region in southeastern Nigeria which is the indigenous homeland of the Igbo people. Geographically, it is divided into two sections, eastern (the larger of the two) and western. Its popu ...
. Like the rest of Nigeria, most people in Enugu speak Nigerian English
Nigerian English, also known as Nigerian Standard English, is a variety of English spoken in Nigeria. Based on British English, the dialect contains various loanwords and collocations from the native languages of Nigeria, due to the need to ...
in addition to the dominant indigenous language of the area — in the case of Enugu, the dominant language is Igbo
Igbo may refer to:
* Igbo people, an ethnic group of Nigeria
* Igbo language, their language
* anything related to Igboland, a cultural region in Nigeria
See also
* Ibo (disambiguation)
* Igbo mythology
* Igbo music
* Igbo art
*
* Igbo-Ukwu, a t ...
with minority groups speaking their own languages along with English and (often) Igbo. Along with standard Nigerian English, Pidgin English
Pidgin English is a non-specific name used to refer to any of the many pidgin languages derived from English. Pidgins that are spoken as first languages become creoles.
English-based pidgins that became stable contact languages, and which have ...
is commonly spoken, with the forms of English often being employed lingua francas to communicate across ethnic lines or even between speakers of disparate Igbo dialects. In cultural and linguistic terms, Enugu is within the northern cluster of the Igbo region which includes other communities like Agbani
Agbani is a town located in Nkanu West Local Government area of Enugu State, Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea ...
, Awka
Awka () is the capital city of Anambra State, Nigeria. The city was declared capital on 21 August 1991, on the creation of a new Anambra state and Enugu state by bifurcation of the old Anambra State. The city of Enugu remained the capital of Enu ...
, Owo, Nike
Nike often refers to:
* Nike, Inc., a major American producer of athletic shoes, apparel, and sports equipment
* Nike (mythology), a Greek goddess who personifies victory
Nike may also refer to:
People
* Nike (name), a surname and feminine giv ...
, and Nsukka
Nsukka is a town and a Local Government Area in Enugu State, Nigeria. Nsukka shares a common border as a town with Edem, Opi (archaeological site), Ede-Oballa, and Obimo.
The postal code of the area is 410001 and 410002 respectively, re ...
.
As the city is within the broader cultural region of Igboland
Igbo land ( Standard ) is a cultural and common linguistic region in southeastern Nigeria which is the indigenous homeland of the Igbo people. Geographically, it is divided into two sections, eastern (the larger of the two) and western. Its popu ...
, the population of Enugu has historically been predominantly Igbo
Igbo may refer to:
* Igbo people, an ethnic group of Nigeria
* Igbo language, their language
* anything related to Igboland, a cultural region in Nigeria
See also
* Ibo (disambiguation)
* Igbo mythology
* Igbo music
* Igbo art
*
* Igbo-Ukwu, a t ...
, with the ethnic composition reflecting the region's demographics. Early records, such as the 1929 census, indicated that the vast majority of Enugu's population were originally from the Eastern Region Eastern Region or East Region may refer to:
* Eastern Region (Abu Dhabi): Al Ain
*Eastern Region, Ghana
*Eastern Region (Iceland)
*Eastern Region, Malta
*Eastern Region, Nepal
*Eastern Region, Nigeria
* Eastern Region, Serbia
*Eastern Region, Ugand ...
, with the ethnic Igbo community alone constituting 85% of the population. Other ethnic groups — such as the Hausa, Yoruba, and Fulani ethnic groups along with smaller groups from the Middle Belt
Middle Belt (also spelt Middle-Belt) or Central Nigeria is a term used in human geography to designate a belt region stretching across central Nigeria longitudinally and forming a transition zone between Northern and Southern Nigeria. It is ...
and 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 ...
— also settled in the city with 10% of the population originating from the Western Region and 2% originating from the Northern Region while another 2% came from non-Igbo eastern communities in 1929. By the 1953 census, the Igbo community remained the vast majority at 87% of the population; however, various Igbo subgroups inhabited different parts of Enugu as of the mid-twentieth century including the Enugwu-Ngwo people (residing on the Hill-Top plain near the Milliken Hills on the west, with farmlands extending into the valleys), the Awkunanaw people (living in the Achara Layout and Uwani areas), and the Ogui Nike people (inhabited areas around Hotel Presidential as well as areas such as Obiagu, Ama-Igbo, Ihewuzi, and Onu-Asata) and other Nike groups (settled in regions like Abakpa, Iji-Nike, and Emene). However, decades of urban sprawl and migration — both internal movement within the city and the influx of new residents — have significantly altered these demographic patterns over time. While a large portion of the non-native groups of Enugu are ethnic Igbo migrants from other parts of the South East, the city's ethnic diversity increased in the mid-twentieth century with migration from other groups, but the civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
significantly shifted demographic patterns. Post-war Enugu saw a higher concentration of Igbo residents, as many inhabitants from other ethnic groups either left or were deterred from settling in the city due to the war's lingering effects on ethnic relations. Despite the challenges posed by ethnic diversity, Enugu has maintained a reputation for relatively peaceful coexistence among its various groups. Inter-ethnic relations have generally been harmonious, with residents working to manage tensions. Stereotyping and occasional conflicts have arisen, but they were often resolved through dialogue and community efforts. Relevant authorities also facilitate cooperation between Igbo and non-indigene communities while shared festivals, intermarriage, and religious commonalities — particularly among Hausa, Fulani, and Yoruba Muslims — contribute to this environment.
Crime
Enugu's crime rate rose in 2009 as kidnapping and armed robbery rates increased in southeastern Nigeria specifically between September and December. The Enugu State government sought to check the high kidnapping rates by passing a bill in February 2009 that made kidnapping by the use of a weapon a capital offence
Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty and formerly called judicial homicide, is the state-sanctioned killing of a person as punishment for actual or supposed misconduct. The sentence ordering that an offender be punished in s ...
; the bill was passed by the Enugu House of Assembly unanimously. 1,088 arrests were made in the city between September and December 2009; 270 of these were in September, 303 were in October, 295 in November and 220 were in December. 477 of these detainees were accused of committing capital offences which included kidnapping.[ The motives of kidnappers in Enugu are primarily financial and some ransoms went into the millions of ]Naira
The naira (sign: ₦; code: NGN; , , , ) is the currency of Nigeria. One naira is divided into 100 ''kobo''.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the sole issuer of legal tender money throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It controls the ...
. The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Enugu State, Dan Nwomeh, had his ransom set as high as ₦500 million (3.3 million US Dollars
The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
), dropping to ₦200 million and then ₦50 million before he was released without a ransom being paid because of the refusal of the government to negotiate with the kidnappers. Much of the crime in Enugu and the rest of Nigeria has been attributed to unemployment.
Culture
As a Northern Igbo city, Enugu shares cultural traits with its neighbouring towns. Two important Igbo traditional festivals take place in Enugu annually; the Mmanwu
Mmanwu is a traditional masquerade of the Igbo people of Southeastern Nigeria. They are performed only by males in exclusive secret societies and involve the use of elaborate, colorful costumes that are meant to invoke ancestral spirits. Masque ...
festival and the New yam festival
The New Yam Festival of the Igbo people (known as Orureshi in Idoma, or Iwa ji, Iri ji, Ike ji, or Otute depending on dialect) is an annual cultural festival by the Igbo people that is held at the end of the rainy season in early August. . The Mmanwu festival takes place in November and features various types of masquerades that each have a name. This festival is held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium nicknamed ''The Cathedral'' is a multi-purpose stadium in Enugu, Nigeria. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Enugu Rangers. The stadium has a capacity of 22,000 and it was named a ...
as a parade of carnival-like masquerades that are accompanied by music and it is supported by the Enugu Council of Arts and Culture. The second important Igbo festival, the New yam festival known as 'iwa ji', is held between August and October marking the harvesting and feasting of the new yam. The yam is a root vegetable that is the staple crop and a cultural symbol for the Igbo people. Recently created festivals include the Enugu Festival of Arts which is managed by the Enugu Council of Arts and Culture. The festival highlights African culture and traditions and it is here that the Enugu Council of Arts and Culture included the Mmanwu parade as part of the events. The Enugu Festival of Arts was started in 1986; it has modernised the Mmanwu festival by transferring it from its traditional village surroundings to the urban setting of Enugu.[ ]Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William, ...
was a notable spectator of Enugu's cultural shows when she visited the city in 1990. visitors to the city can enjoy a wide variety of the cities native delicacies especially its Famous Okpa "Okpa Enugu", Abacha a local delicacy made from cassava "African salad" fiofio, nkwobi and host of other delicacies like Nkwobi, pepper soup.
The tourism industry in Enugu, managed by the Enugu State Tourism Board (ESTB), is small; however, the state government recognises a variety of historic and recreational sites. These sites include places like the Udi Hills, from which the majority of Enugu city can be viewed.The Nike lake Resort in the outskirt of the city, the famous Iva Valley which served as residential quarters for European workers managing the Coal Mining activities. The Polo amusement park is a funfair
A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Fairs showcase a wide range of go ...
that is among the first generation of public parks in the city;[ other parks in the city include the Murtala Muhammed Park.][Hudgens, p. 1072.] Enugu's former coal mines, Onyeama and Okpara, are open to public visits.[ Some other spots include: The Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Sculptural Garden and Art Gallery, the Eastern Region Parliamentary Building, the Old Government Lodge,][ and Enugu Golf course. Enugu Zoo is another attraction in the city. It is divided into the botanical garden and the zoological section. A National Museum is located near Enugu at its north, although it receives few visitors.] It is managed by National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM). Other galleries include the Bona Gallery.
Entertainment
Music
Enugu became an important centre for Highlife music
Highlife is a Ghanaian music genre that originated along the coastal cities of present-day Ghana in the 19th century, during its Gold Coast (region), history as a colony of the British and through its trade routes in coastal areas. It encompasse ...
in Nigeria in the 1950s. The Igbo dominated version of the genre grew out of earlier "Igbo blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
" or "palm wine music
Palm-wine music (known as maringa in Sierra Leone) is a West African musical genre. It evolved among the Kru people of Liberia and Sierra Leone, who used Portuguese guitars brought by sailors, combining local melodies and rhythms with Trinidadian ...
" and further spread in popularity to the Southern Cameroons
The Southern Cameroons was the southern part of the British League of Nations mandate territory of the British Cameroons in West Africa. Since 1961, it has been part of the Republic of Cameroon, where it makes up the Northwest Region and Southw ...
where Enugu had considerable influence in arts and culture in towns such as Limbe, Tiko
Tiko, originally called ‘Keka’ by the Bakweris, is a town and important port in the southwest region of Cameroon. The settlement grew as a market town for Duala (or Douala) fishermen, Bakweri ( Kpwe people) farmers, and hunters from Molyko ...
and Douala
Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital. It is also the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Region (Cameroon), Littoral Region. It was home to Central Africa's largest port, now being replaced by Kribi port. It has the country ...
. Some prominent musicians with origins in Enugu include Sonny Okosun
Sonny Okosun (1 January 1947 – 24 May 2008) was a Nigerian musician, who was known as the leader of the Ozzidi band. He named his band Ozzidi after a renowned Ijaw languages, Ijaw river god, but to Okosun the meaning was "there is a message". ...
, an afrobeat
Afrobeat (also known as Afrofunk) is a West African music genre, fusing influences from Nigerian (such as Yoruba) and Ghanaian (such as highlife) music, with American funk, jazz, and soul influences. With a focus on chanted vocals, complex i ...
musician who was born and raised in Enugu and joined his first band The Postmen that was based in the city in 1965; Celestine Ukwu
Celestine Ukwu (1940 – 7 May 1977) was a Nigerian Igbo highlife musician during the 1960s and 1970s, best known for his hit songs "Ije Enu", "Igede" and "Money Palava". Described as a "prolific and outstanding composer" by music critic Benso ...
joined Michael Ejeagha's Enugu based Paradise Rhythm Orchestra in 1962 before creating his own band and had a recreational club in the city after the Nigeria Civil War; other musicians include 2Face Idibia
Innocent Ujah Idibia Order of the Niger, MON (; born 18 September 1975), known by his stage name 2Baba and formerly as 2Face Idibia, is a Nigerian singer-songwriter, record producer and philanthropist known for his solo debut album, ''Face 2 Fa ...
; a Hip hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
/ R&B musician who partly grew up and studied music in the city. Other notable musicians originating from Enugu include rapper
Rapping (also rhyming, flowing, spitting, emceeing, or MCing) is an artistic form of vocal delivery and emotive expression that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and ommonlystreet vernacular". It is usually performed over a backing ...
Phyno
Chibuzo Nelson Azubuike (; born 9 October 1986), who is known professionally as Phyno, is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Phyno was born and raised in Enugu State but is a native of Anambra State. He started his musi ...
, Slowdog, William Onyeabor
William Ezechukwu Onyeabor (, ; 26 March 1946 – 16 January 2017) was a Nigerian funk musician and businessman. His music was widely heard in Nigeria in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Despite his success, he remained an enigmatic, private, an ...
, and highlife musician Flavour N'abania
Chinedu Okoli (born 23 November 1983), better known by his stage name Flavour N'abania or simply Flavour, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. He began his musical career as a drummer for a local church. Flavour is popularly known across Africa ...
.
Media and literature
English-language newspapers published and sold in Enugu include the ''Daily Star'', ''Evening Star'', ''The Renaissance'' and ''New Renaissance''. One of the earliest newspapers published in Enugu was the ''Eastern Sentinel'' published by Nnamdi Azikiwe's Zik Group in 1955, but failed in 1960.[ Among the city's television and radio stations are the ]Nigerian Television Authority
The Nigerian Television Authority or NTA is a Nigerian government-owned and partly commercial broadcast station. Originally known as Nigerian Television (NTV), it was inaugurated in 1977 with a monopoly on national television broadcasting, after ...
's network affiliate (NTA Enugu) headquarters located at Independence Layout, Afia TV located at Coal City Garden Estate, Voice of the East TV and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria
The Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) is a Nigerian state radio broadcasting organization. Its flagship station is the syndicated radio network '' Radio Nigeria'', with FM stations across the 36 states and Zonal station in the 6 geopoliti ...
(FRCN) network affiliate station (Radio Enugu) which broadcasts in English, Igbo
Igbo may refer to:
* Igbo people, an ethnic group of Nigeria
* Igbo language, their language
* anything related to Igboland, a cultural region in Nigeria
See also
* Ibo (disambiguation)
* Igbo mythology
* Igbo music
* Igbo art
*
* Igbo-Ukwu, a t ...
, Efik
The Efik are an ethnic group located primarily in southern Nigeria, and western Cameroon. Within Nigeria, the Efik can be found in the present-day Cross River State and Akwa Ibom state. The Efik speak the Efik language which is a member of the ...
, Ijaw Ijaw may refer to:
*Ijaw people
The Ijaw people, also known as the Izon people, are an ethnic group found in the Niger Delta region in Nigeria, with primary Population, population clusters in Bayelsa State, Bayelsa, Delta State, Delta, and River ...
and Tiv. Enugu State Broadcasting Service Television (ESBS-TV) is a state owned television broadcasting company which offers 18 hours of continuous broadcasting on weekends. Enugu, after Lagos
Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
is the preferred city for shooting films in Nigeria and a film production centre in the East. In 2007, Enugu hosted the first-ever film festival in the state, the Enugu International Film Festival. Held at Hotel Presidential, the festival's intent was to highlight Enugu as a "film making hub" in Africa including movie premiers and prizes for different film categories. Life In My City Art Festival was established in 2007 as an annual celebration of creativity, showcasing the work of young talents in Nigeria's art landscape. The festival culminates in a Grand Finale, featuring selected works of art from youth across the country, chosen from over 600 pieces exhibited annually in 11 different exhibition centers across Nigeria. In 2012, the festival was registered as a Trusteeship under the name Life In My City Art Initiative. The festival hosts a range of events, including a visual art competition, a pan-African photography contest known as Photo Africa, workshops for schoolchildren and art teachers, a multimedia workshop, and the Award and Gala Night. It has become one of the largest art events in Nigeria, bringing together young artists, patrons, scholars, gallery owners, and other stakeholders in the visual arts sector. Every year, over 3 million naira in prizes are awarded, making it one of the most prestigious and supportive platform for young Nigerian artists. Crater Literary Festival is an annual literary event founded in 2017 by Adachukwu Onwudiwe with its inaugural edition themed "Life in My City". Held in Enugu, Eastern Nigeria, the festival gathers writers, readers, publishers, artists, and art enthusiasts to celebrate Nigerian literature and the arts. On 1 November 2024, the Enugu Photo Festival held its first edition with the theme "Shades of Coal - Revisiting Time". Established in 2023 by the Enugu Photo Community led by Chidera Ifeakanwa Sam-Eze, the Enugu Photo Festival aims to preserve and promote the rich history and culture of Enugu and Eastern Nigeria through visual storytelling. Each year, the festival adopts a unique theme, with the 2024 theme, "Shades of Coal - Revisiting Time", commemorating Enugu's coal mining legacy and the 75th anniversary of the Iva Valley Coal Miners Massacre. The festival not only serves as a platform for local artists but also attracts cultural tourism, shedding light on societal issues and fostering conversations around Eastern Nigeria's heritage.
Some of Nigeria's well-known writers were born and have lived in the city of Enugu.
Chinua Achebe
Chinua Achebe (; born Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe; 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet, and critic who is regarded as a central figure of modern African literature. His first novel ''Things Fall Apart'' ( ...
, writer of ''Things Fall Apart
''Things Fall Apart'' is a 1958 novel by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. It is Achebe's debut novel and was written when he was working at the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. The novel was first published in London by Heinemann (publisher), ...
'' lived in Enugu in 1958, the year the book was published. He again moved to the city during the Nigerian Civil War after escaping Lagos
Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
with his family. It was at this time that he met and became friends with Nigerian poet Christopher Okigbo
Christopher Ifekandu Okigbo (16 August 1932 – 1967) was a Nigerian poet, teacher, and librarian, who died fighting for the independence of Biafra. He is today widely acknowledged as an outstanding Postcolonialism, postcolonial English-languag ...
where they started the publishing house Citadel Press
Kensington Publishing Corp. is an American, New Yorkbased publishing house founded in 1974 by Walter Zacharius (1923–2011)Grimes, William''New York Times'' (MARCH 7, 2011). and Roberta Bender Grossman (1946–1992). Kensington is known as "Am ...
, among its titles ''How the Dog was Domesticated'' and ''How the Leopard Got His Claws''. Okigbo lived in Enugu during the early months of the Nigerian Civil War. His home in Hilltop contained many of his unpublished writings which were mostly destroyed by bombing early in the war. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (born Grace Ngozi Adichie; 15 September 1977) is a Nigerians, Nigerian writer of novels, short stories, poem, and children's books; she is also a book reviewer and literary critic. Her most famous works include ''Purple ...
, writer of ''Half of a Yellow Sun
''Half of a Yellow Sun'' is a 2006 novel by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It became instantly successful after its publication; in the United States and Nigeria, it is widely read in high schools and middle schools. ''Half of a Y ...
'', a winner of the Orange Prize for Fiction
The Women's Prize for Fiction (previously with sponsor names Orange Prize for Fiction (1996–2006 and 2009–2012), Orange Broadband Prize for Fiction (2007–08) and Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction (2014–2017) is one of the United Kingdom's ...
in 2007, was born in Enugu in 1977 and grew up in Nsukka.
Sports
Enugu Rangers
Rangers International Football Club, commonly known as Enugu Rangers, is a Nigerian professional association football team founded in 1970. Based in Enugu, the Rangers play their home games at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium. Enugu Rangers are one ...
, are a first-division team of the Nigerian Premier League in Enugu, home to the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium
Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium nicknamed ''The Cathedral'' is a multi-purpose stadium in Enugu, Nigeria. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Enugu Rangers. The stadium has a capacity of 22,000 and it was named a ...
. Former Rangers players include Jay-Jay Okocha
Augustine Azuka "Jay-Jay" Okocha ( ; born 14 August 1973) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He had 73 caps for the Nigeria national team between 1993 and 2006, scoring 14 goals, and was a membe ...
and Taribo West
Taribo West (born 26 March 1974) is a Nigerian pastor and former professional footballer who played as a defender. He is best remembered for his various unusual and colourful hairstyles.
After winning several major trophies with Auxerre in Fren ...
. Enugu's main sports centre is the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, named after Nnamdi Azikiwe, the first president of Nigeria. The stadium remained the centre of sports for the whole of the Eastern Region until the Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Biafran War, Nigeria-Biafra War, or Biafra War, was fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a Secession, secessionist state which had declared its independen ...
broke out. At the war's end the stadium was refurbished. Enugu was a host for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup
The 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup was the thirteenth tournament of the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in Nigeria from 24 October to 15 November 2009.
Switzerland national under-17 football team, Switzerland won the tournament, beating the host team and holde ...
games (24 October – 15 November) alongside Calabar
Calabar (also referred to as Callabar, Calabari, Calbari, Cali and Kalabar) is the capital city of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was originally named Akwa Akpa, in the Efik language, as the Efik people dominate this area. The city is adjac ...
and five other Nigerian cities with matches taking place at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium.[ Its hosting of the FIFA U-17 World Cup benefited Enugu through the renovation of the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, having had such things as a new artificial surface laid.][ City's Top flight Football Team ]Enugu Rangers
Rangers International Football Club, commonly known as Enugu Rangers, is a Nigerian professional association football team founded in 1970. Based in Enugu, the Rangers play their home games at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium. Enugu Rangers are one ...
won the Nigerian Professional Football League in 2016.
Economy
Nicknamed the ''Coal City'', Enugu's economy in the early 20th century depended on coal mining in the Udi plateau; this industry was the pushing force towards the city's growth. The Nigerian Coal Corporation has been based in Enugu since its creation in 1950 where it controlled coal mining. With the creation of the Eastern Line, Enugu was connected with the sea via Port Harcourt to its south and later connected to the city of Kaduna
Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Nigeria. It is located in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River. It is a trade center and a major transportation hub as the gateway to northern state ...
to Enugu's north. The Nigerian Civil War brought widespread devastation that forced a decline in coal production from damage or destruction of equipment. coal mining is no longer the major source of income and mines lay unused. Other minerals mined in Enugu include iron ore, limestone, fine clay, marble, and silica sand
Sand casting, also known as sand molded casting, is a metal casting process characterized by using sand—known as ''casting sand''—as the mold (manufacturing), mold material. The term "sand casting" can also refer to an object produced via th ...
.
In Enugu most goods are sold in open markets or by street hawkers; a significant number of street hawkers in Nigeria are children. , around 44 under-16-year-olds (equally boys and girls) hawk on every street on every hour in Enugu. There are three main urban markets in Enugu: Ogbete Market, Awkunanaw Market and New Market. New Market is a major market for the sale of garri
In West Africa, ''garri'' (also known as ''gari'', ''galli'', or ''gali'') is the flour of the fresh starchy cassava root.
In the Hausa language, ''garri'' can also refer to the flour of guinea corn, maize, rice, yam, plantain and mille ...
. Ogbete market is patronised by merchants from all over the surrounding area, including merchants from cities like Onitsha
Onitsha ( or simply ''Ọ̀nị̀chà'') is a city on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. Onitsha along with various cities and towns in southern Anambra State, northern Imo State and neighboring Delta State on the we ...
, Aguleri
Aguleri is a medium-sized town situated in the Anambra Valley in southeastern Nigeria, a country on the west coast of Africa. It is the largest town in the Anambra East local government area of Anambra State. It is the town of the newly establi ...
, Abakaliki
Abakaliki is the capital city of Ebonyi State in southeastern Nigeria, located southeast of Enugu. The inhabitants are primarily members of the Igbo nation. It was the headquarters of the Ogoja province before the creation of the Southeast ...
and Aba
ABA may refer to:
Aviation
* AB Aerotransport, former Scandinavian airline
* IATA airport code for Abakan International Airport in Republic of Khakassia, Russia
Businesses and organizations Broadcasting
* Alabama Broadcasters Association, Uni ...
. In Ogebete market non-food goods are also sold. Brewing and soft-drink bottling are among other industries in the city; there is also a Mercedes assembly plant as well as the production and manufacturing of machinery, pottery, tiles, steel, cement, asbestos, petroleum, and pharmaceuticals. For a period of time Sosoliso Airlines
Sosoliso Airlines Limited was a Nigerian scheduled, domestic, passenger airline. For much of its existence it had its head office in Ikeja, Lagos State. Originally its head office was on the grounds of Enugu Airport in Enugu.
History
It was est ...
had its head office on the grounds of Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu.
The former Eastern Region was once famed for producing half the world's total output of palm kernels. Since the Nigerian Civil War production has markedly declined largely because the plantations and processing equipment were either damaged or destroyed. The production of other important cash crop
A cash crop, also called profit crop, is an Agriculture, agricultural crop which is grown to sell for profit. It is typically purchased by parties separate from a farm. The term is used to differentiate a marketed crop from a staple crop ("subsi ...
s such as cocoa, groundnut and groundnut oil, rubber, cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
, cotton and cotton seed and timber tumbled after the civil war and the subsequent oil boom years. Consequently, the area called Enugu State as well as the rest of Nigeria, which was once a self-sufficient net exporter in agricultural produce, must import food.
Enugu has also been a hub of entrepreneurial activity for many years. Born out of a passion for innovation and progress, the city has given rise to numerous successful businesses across various sectors. Notable among these are the Roban Group, Copen Group, Innoson Group, Fine Brothers, Digital Dreams Limited, Intercil Group, ANAMMCO, Nemel Pharmaceuticals, Emenite, and Albertina. These companies have not only contributed to the city's economic growth but have also created employment opportunities for its residents.
Tech and Innovation Ecosystem
Enugu has a bubbling tech startup ecosystem and is rated 4th in Nigeria and 9th in West Africa. It is home to over 20 startups that include Xend Finance, Linkskool School Management, Greenage Technologies, Digital Dreams Limited, Quiva Games and many more.
Education
Enugu has three main tertiary institutions: the Enugu State University of Science & Technology (ESUT); the University of Nigeria
The University of Nigeria, commonly referred to as UNN, is a federal and public research university located in Nsukka, Enugu State, South-east Nigeria. Founded in 1955 by Nnamdi Azikiwe who was Governor-General of Nigeria between 1960 and 1963 ...
, Nsukka Campus (UNN)and Enugu Campus (UNEC); and the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT). Another notable tertiary institution in Enugu State is the Federal Cooperative College
Federal or foederal (archaic) may refer to:
Politics
General
*Federal monarchy, a federation of monarchies
*Federation, or ''Federal state'' (federal system), a type of government characterized by both a central (federal) government and states or ...
, Oji River (FCCO). Godfrey Okoye University
Godfrey Okoye University (GO University) was founded in 2009 by the Very Reverend Father Professor Dr. Christian Anieke for the Catholic Diocese of Enugu. The university, which got its operational licence on 3 November 2009 from the Nat ...
, Caritas University
Caritas University is a private Catholic university in Amorji-Nike, Enugu State, Nigeria. Approved by both state and church authorities, the institution aims to revive the long-standing tradition of Catholic education while providing education gr ...
, Renaissance University
Renaissance University is a private university licensed by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 2005.
Its main campus is located in Ugbawka (Igbo: Ugbuoka) in Enugu State, Nigeria.
Location
Renaissance University is located in Ugbawka (off Enug ...
, Coal City university, Novena University
Novena University is the first private university in Delta State located in Ogume, Delta State, Nigeria. Novena University was established to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigeria youths and women who are unable to get admitted for their a ...
Esut Business School.
The city is also home to Our Saviour Institute of Science and Technology
Our Saviour Institute of Science, Agriculture and Technology (OSISATECH) is a privately owned polytechnic in Enugu (city), Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria established in 1989.
History
It was founded by the Catholic priest Father Edeh, Rev. Fr. Pr ...
, a polytechnic, Marist Polytechnic
an
Bigard Memorial Seminary.
Some notable secondary schools in Enugu include the College of the Immaculate Conception (CIC) built in 1940, Holy Rosary College, Enugu, Holy Rosary College (HRC) built in 1943, Daughters of Divine Love (DDL) Colliery Comprehensive Secondary school, Queen's Secondary School, Federal Government College, Royal Crown Academy, Nsukka and the University of Nigeria Secondary school. University Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu, under the university of Nigeria, is another university located in the city.
Healthcare
In Enugu, health care services can be obtained at several institutions including the ESUT (Enugu State University of Science and Technology) Teaching Hospital; University of Nigeria, Enugu, Teaching Hospital; Park Lane General Hospital in the GRA; PMC (Peenok Medical Center) located on Ziks Avenue in Uwani; Hansa Clinic on Awolowo Street in Uwani; Niger Foundation Hospital and Diagnostic Centre on Presidential Close in the Independence Layout; and the Ntasi Obi Ndi no n'Afufu Hospital organization located on Enuguabor Street in the Trans-Ekulu layout, among others. Some of the specialist hospitals in Enugu include the Psychiatric Hospital Enugu and the National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu (NOHE).
Many of the hospitals in Enugu are privately run. The UNTH and the National Orthopaedic Hospital are among some of the government controlled hospitals in the city. The medical equipment for the UNTH was upgraded in 2009 as well as parts of the hospital which were renovated in the same year. Most hospitals in the city suffer from a poor standard of medical facilities available to them; many of the city's citizens travel abroad for medical care. However, hospitals have been aided by foreign organisations and by Enugu's community at home and abroad who have donated medicine and other medical equipment. The most developed government hospital in Enugu is the Park Lane Hospital. The governor has said that the state has bought some ambulance service vehicles in March 2010. Enugu State has established free medical care for pregnant women and for all children under 5 years of age in the state. The child healthcare programme, founded under the District Health System (DHS), was added to the states 2008 budget. Enugu State has a HIV
The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
/AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
prevalence of 6.5%, one of the highest in the country.
Transport
Enugu is located on the narrow-gauge
A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and .
Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with tighter curv ...
Eastern Line railway linked to the city of Port Harcourt; the Enugu train station is by the side of the National Stadium; dating back to its coal-mining origins, it is located on Ogui Street. The main forms of transportation in the city are buses, taxi cabs and buses.,[ ''Okada'' (motorcycles) once served as public transportation in the city until the state government banned them from this use in April 2009.] Most transport enters and leaves the city through Enugu's Ogbete Motor Park, Garki Motor Park serves as a transport pick-up point as well.[ Unregistered taxis are known as ''Kabu Kabu'' and are differentiated with registered ones through the lack of yellow paint on the unregistered vehicles.
In 2009, Enugu introduced a taxi job scheme under 'Coal City Cabs' to help in the eradication of poverty in the city. 200 registered ]Nissan Sunny
The is an automobile built by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1966 till 2004. In the early 1980s, the brand changed from Datsun to Nissan in line with other models by the company. Although production of the Sunny in Japan ended in 2004, the ...
taxis, provided by the state government; and 200 registered Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational mobility manufacturer headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka. It manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a va ...
taxis, provided by the Umuchinemere Pro-Credit Micro Finance Bank, were given out on loan to unemployed citizens in the city who will operate as taxi drivers and will own the vehicles after payments are completed. 20 buses with the capacity for 82 passengers seated and standing were introduced as Coal City Shuttle buses on 13 March 2009 to run as public transport for Enugu urban.
The main airport in the state is the Akanu Ibiam International Airport
Akanu Ibiam International Airport , also known as Enugu Airport, is an international airport serving Enugu (city), Enugu, the capital city of Enugu State in Nigeria, and nearby cities, such as Abakaliki, Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Afikpo, Okigwe, N ...
which can be accessed by buses and taxis.[ Renovations began on 30 November 2009 to upgrade it to accommodate wide-bodied aircraft. These plans include extending the runway by to make it long; the runway will be widened from . It is estimated that the project will cost ₦4.13bn (27.3 million US dollars ).
The A3, or the Enugu-Port Harcourt highway, was opened in the 1970s and links the two cities together by passing through ]Aba
ABA may refer to:
Aviation
* AB Aerotransport, former Scandinavian airline
* IATA airport code for Abakan International Airport in Republic of Khakassia, Russia
Businesses and organizations Broadcasting
* Alabama Broadcasters Association, Uni ...
, a major urban settlement. The A3 goes further on past Enugu's north to link to the city of Jos
Jos is a city in the North-Central region of Nigeria. The city has a population of about 900,000 residents based on the 2006 census. Popularly called "J-Town", it is the administrative capital and largest city of Plateau State. The city is situ ...
via Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated along the Benue River. In 2017, Makurdi's urban population was 517,342.
The town is divided by the Ri ...
. Two more highways, the A232
List of A roads in zone 2 in Great Britain starting south of the River Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is ...
from Benin City
Benin City serves as the Capital city, capital and largest
Metropolitan area, metropolitan centre of Edo State, situated in Nigeria, southern Nigeria. It ranks as the List of Nigerian cities by population, fourth-most populous city in Niger ...
, Asaba
Asaba (''Igbo:'' ''Ahaba'') is the capital of Delta State, Nigeria. A rapidly growing urban area, it is located on the western bank of the Niger River and is the seat of the Oshimili South Local Government Area. Asaba had a population of 149,6 ...
and Onitsha
Onitsha ( or simply ''Ọ̀nị̀chà'') is a city on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. Onitsha along with various cities and towns in southern Anambra State, northern Imo State and neighboring Delta State on the we ...
to Enugu's east and the A343 from Abakaliki
Abakaliki is the capital city of Ebonyi State in southeastern Nigeria, located southeast of Enugu. The inhabitants are primarily members of the Igbo nation. It was the headquarters of the Ogoja province before the creation of the Southeast ...
to Enugu's west, makes Enugu the site of a major junction.
See also
* Cinema of Nigeria
The Cinema of Nigeria, often referred to informally as Nollywood, consists of films produced in Nigeria; its history dates back to as early as the late 19th century and into the colonial era in the early 20th century. The history and develop ...
* People from Enugu
The term "the people" refers to the public or common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. In contrast, a ...
* Railway stations in Nigeria
Railway stations in Nigeria include:
Maps
UN MapUNHCR Atlas Map Cities served by rail
The East (E) and West (W) lines are connected by the Link Line.
West Line
* Apapa (W) - Lagos. Port ; flour mill ; oil terminals
* Lagos (W) (0&nbs ...
*Waawa
The Waawa clan of Northern Igboland, also referred to as ''Ndi Waawa, Wawa People'', are a unique sub-group of the Igbo people in Enugu and Ebonyi State, Nigeria, consisting of several communities, who all speak a unique dialect of Igbo calle ...
people, of Enugu State
Enugu () verbally pronounced as "Enụgwụ" by the Igbo indigenes is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by the states of Benue and Kogi, Ebonyi State to the east and southeast, Abia State to the so ...
References
Bibliography
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External links
The Coal City
– Updates from Enugu and Enugu State
Igbo Enugu Guide
– A guide to Enugu and Igboland's culture and language
*
{{Authority control
Cities in Enugu State
State capitals in Nigeria
Populated places established in 1909
1909 establishments in the Southern Nigeria Protectorate
Capitals of former nations
Cities in Nigeria
Towns in Igboland
Igbo language