Nigeria is known by many world powers as a country that is rich in oil. The country is the eleventh (11th) largest producer of crude oil on the world’s rankings. As of 2019, the country was the highest producer in Africa, when it comes to crude oil.
Contrary to what many environmentalists and some experts may say, crude oil still runs the world to a large extent as far as money is concerned. Today, we shall take a look at ten states in Nigeria that produce OIL. They will be ranked according to how much they produce, from the lowest to the highest.
ALSO READ: NATURAL RESOURCES IN NIGERIA AND THEIR USES
10 Oil Producing States In Nigeria
#10 Anambra State
Anambra State is a rather growing oil-producing area. It is situated in the southeast of Nigeria. There are many other resources you can find in this state besides crude oil. Besides crude oil, other natural materials include glass sand, phosphate. iron ore, zinc, lignite, Salt, gypsum, limestone, and clay.
#9 Abia State
Abia State is another south-eastern oil-producing state found in Nigeria. It shares boundaries with Imo State. The territory includes 17 local government areas. The capital of Abia State is Umuahia. Among the resources, you can find in Abia State are gold, zinc, salt, and limestone.
#8 Imo State
Imo State is the eighth on the list and the first eastern state to make it to the list of oil-producing states. It lies within the south-eastern territories of Nigeria and has 27 local governments.
The capital of Imo State is Owerri. Apart from crude oil in the state, you can find deposits of other minerals resources which include phosphate, zinc, salt, lignite, gypsum, marcasite, and limestone.
#7 Edo State
Edo State is one of the states involved in oil production in Nigeria. Its capital is Benin. The land has inhabitants from Esan, Edo (Binis), and Afemai (Owan/Etsako) with Akoko Edo ethnic groups which make up the major ethnic groups of the state.
Edo State can brag about many other resources they have been blessed with, such includes; dolomite phosphate, gold, iron ore, clay, lignite, bitumen, glass sand, gypsum, marble, and limestone.
#6 Lagos State
Lagos State is the megacity of Nigeria and the top commercial city of Africa. It has significant deposits of resources, among which is crude oil. The capital of the state is Ikeja.
Oil deposits are but a few of what the state has to offer in terms of mineral resources; it is also quite possible for one to discover the reserves of other resources like bitumen, clay, and glass sand.
#5 Ondo State
Ondo State is one of the oil-producing states in Nigeria and the first western state found on the list. It is in the southwestern part of the country and shared its borders with Edo and Delta State.
The state has 18 local government areas with Akure as the capital of the state. Some of the ethnic groups present in the state are Ilaje, Okitipupa, Akure, Owo, Akoko, and Ondo.
The state has deposits of other mineral resources such as coal, bitumen, limestone, kaolin, dimension stones, gemstone, glass sand, granite, gypsum, clay, and feldspar.
#4 Bayelsa State
This state was formerly known as a former constituent of Delta and Rivers State (was carved in 1996). It also occupies land in the southern part of Nigeria. The capital of the state is Yenegoa.
The area of Bayelsa State has the lowest population if we were to compare with the other states in this list (only 1.7 million residents due to data of 2006).
Some major ethnic groups occupying the state’s territory are Epie-Atissa, Izon, Ogbia, and Nembe. Some other mineral resources found in Bayelsa State include zinc, lignite, gypsum, clay, manganese, uranium, and limestone.
#3 Rivers State
Rivers State is the third state with a high level of oil production giving Nigeria’s economy valuable resources for the growth of the nation by increasing its revenue. It lies in the southern region of the country.
The major ethnic groups that reside in the territory of Rivers State as Okrika, Ikwerre, Ibani, Upobo, Kalabari, Abua, Eleme, Ogoni, etc. The name of the capital city of the state is Port Harcourt, one of the major cities in Nigeria.
It is thought to be one of the moderately populated cities in Nigeria. River State also has reasonable deposits of marble, glass sand, lignite (traces), and clay.
#2 Delta State
Delta state is the second highest oil-producing state in Nigeria due to the oil production capacity. The state is the state that can be found deep in the South-Southern zone of Nigeria. Its area is built with about 25 local government areas, which are occupied by over four million people.
Asaba is the capital city of Delta state, while Warri is its industrial and most popular city. The Isokos, the Itsekiris, and the Urhobo tribe are the three main ethnic groups in the area.
Aside from the abundance of crude oil in the state and its revenue from oil engagement in the industry, Delta State is rich in lignite, gypsum, kaolin, glass sand, marble, and iron ore.
#1 Akwa- Ibom
Akwa Ibom State is the first on the list. It has the highest oil production amongst all the states in the country. Akwa Ibom State is in the South region of Nigeria and it has about 31 local government areas and has a capital in the city of Uyo.
Akwa Ibom is also the most beautiful place in the country which attracts a lot of tourists. There are over five million residents that live in the state. Akwa Ibom State can boast of not only its abundant deposits of crude oil but also other mineral resources, like zinc, lignite, salt, limestone, and clay.
You will find that all these states are located in the southern region of Nigeria. In spite of this fact, more than half of the states on these list is suffering from poor facilities and public infrastructure; a testament to the corruption of the Nigerian government on various levels. We sincerely hope that you have learnt something interesting from this.
