State: Cross River

Cross River State sits in Nigeria’s south, with Calabar as its capital, a port city with one of the country’s longest histories of contact with the outside world. The state was created in 1967 as South Eastern State and took its current name in 1976.

The state borders Benue to the north, Ebonyi and Abia to the west, and Akwa Ibom to the south, with an international border against Cameroon to the east.

The Efik people are strongest around Calabar, while the Ejagham and related groups live further inland, alongside the Bekwarra, Igede, and Ukelle communities in the state’s eighteen local government areas.

Agriculture runs deep here: cocoyam, rubber, oil palm, yam, cocoa, cashews, and plantain all grow across the state, and fishing communities work the coast and rivers. Tourism adds a steady second income, built around the state’s forests, beaches, and festivals.

Cross River National Park protects one of the last stretches of rainforest in West Africa, and the Obudu Mountain Resort sits high enough in the hills to offer genuinely cool weather, unusual for this part of Nigeria. The Agbokim Waterfalls and the ancient Ikom Monoliths, carved stone pillars whose exact age still puzzles researchers, round out the state’s landmarks. Every December, Calabar hosts what’s often called Africa’s biggest carnival.

Former governors Donald Duke and Liyel Imoke both built national reputations while running the state, and Bassey Otu has served as governor since 2023.