State: Ebonyi

Ebonyi State lies in Nigeria’s southeast, with Abakaliki as its capital. It was created on 1 October 1996, pieced together from parts of Enugu and Abia states.

The state borders Benue to the north and northeast, Enugu to the west, Cross River to the east and southeast, and Abia to the southwest.

Ebonyi is almost entirely Igbo, though the dialects shift noticeably from town to town: Afikpo, Izzi, Ezza, and Edda are all spoken within the state’s borders, along with the smaller Korring language in a few communities.

Farming carries the local economy, with yams, rice, oil palm, and cassava grown widely. The state calls itself the Salt of the Nation, a nod to the natural salt lakes at Okposi and Uburu that have supplied local trade for generations. Lead, zinc, and limestone mining add a smaller industrial layer, alongside a long tradition of handwoven basket making.

The Abakaliki Green Lake and the Uburu Salt Lake are among the state’s better known natural sites, and Unwana Beach on the Cross River draws visitors from across the southeast for swimming and boating.

Ebonyi’s governors have included Sam Egwu, Martin Elechi, Dave Umahi, and current governor Francis Nwifuru, each shaping the young state since its creation in the 1990s.