TOP 5 OIL PRODUCING STATES IN NIGERIA

TOP 5 OIL PRODUCING STATES IN NIGERIA

 When writing about topics of
this magnitude, i usually take my time to avoid error. Nigeria is a very large
country which is home to over 170 Million people.
Nigeria is  very popular for its immense oil resources.
Nevertheless, not all states in Nigeria produce oil. Oil is produced and
manufactured by section of the country known as the Niger-Delta region.
This is where most of the Nigerian oil comes from. Some of the
states that make up the Niger-Delta region include Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross
Rivers, Delta, Akwa-Ibom, Ondo, Abia, Imo and Anambra States.
This county is also sometimes referred to as the South-South
region of Nigeria and is made up of more than 40 ethnic groups including Ijaws,
Itsekiris, Urhobos, Isokos, Kalabari, Efik, Ibibio, Esan, Igbo, Oron, Annang,
Yoruba, Ogoja and Ukwuani.

The top 5 Oil and Gas producing states in Nigeria
include the following-:

1.Akwa-Ibom

Akwa- Ibom is
presently the largest oil producing state in Nigeria after displacing Rivers
state from this position. It is located in the coastal area of Nigeria and is
populated by over 5 million people according to the last census. Akwa-Ibom is
bordered by Rivers State, Cross River State and Abia State. Akwa-Ibom state
also shares a boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. The capital of Akwa Ibom, Uyo
is said to be one of the most gorgeous cities in Nigeria and entices a lot of
sightseers yearly.
Akwa-Ibom
also has a very rich cultural heritage and history among which are the Oron
Museum, Ibeno Sand beach and the Mary Slessor House. Apart from oil, Akwa-Ibom
state also has some other natural resources such as clay, coal, silver nitrate,
limestone, glass sand and salt. Akwa- Ibom is divided into 31 local government
areas and is dominated by three ethnic groups, Oron, Annang and Ibibio.

2.Rivers State.

River
state used to be the largest oil producing state in Nigeria before Akwa-Ibom
took over. It is one of the most densely inhabited states in Nigeria with a
population of over 5 million people according to the 2006 census. Rivers state
has its capital as Port- Harcourt and is surrounded by Imo, Anambra, Abia,
Bayelsa and Delta States. Rivers state is also bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on
the south. Some of the major ethnic groups in Rivers state include Kalabari,
Okrika, Ogoni, Ikwerre, Ibani and Opobo. There are a total of 23 local
government areas in Rivers state currently.
  
3.Delta.
 Delta state is one of the highest oil
producing states as well as one of the richest states in Nigeria, but under the third position. It is also
located in the Niger-Delta region of Nigeria and is composed of 25 local
government areas. Warri is the heart of Delta State and is also home to one of
the petroleum refineries in Nigeria. Some of the major ethnic groups in Delta
State are The Urhobos, Isokos and the Itsekiris.

4. Bayelsa

Bayelsa
State was engraved out of Rivers and Delta in 1996 and the fourth Oil producing states in Nigeria .It is also amongst the foremost oil producing states
accountable for creating 80% of Nigeria’s crude oil resources. Bayelsa State
has one of the principal crude oil and natural gas
deposits in Nigeria. Consequently, petroleum
production is widespread and extensive in the state. Nonetheless, the majority
of Bayelsans  live in abject  poverty.
 It is also one of the least populated states
in Nigeria with only about 1.9 million residents. Bayelsa State has its capital
as Yenagoa and made up of four major ethnic groups namely- Ogbia, Nembe, Izon
and Epie- Atissa.
5.Cross River
 5.Cross River
Cross
River is the fifth largest oil producing state in Nigeria.  Cross River State occupies    20,156 square kilometers. It shares
boundaries with Benue State to the north, Enugu and Abia States to the west, to
the east by Cameroon Republic and to the south by Akwa-Ibom and the Atlantic
Ocean.
 The South Eastern State was created on May 27,
1967 from the former Eastern Region, Nigeria by the General Yakubu
Gowon
regime according to Wikipedia. Its name was changed to Cross River
State in the 1976 state creation exercise by the then General Murtala Mohammed
regime from South Eastern State. The present day Akwa
Ibom State
was excised from it in the state creation exercise of September
1987 by the then regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. Its capital is Calabar. Its
major towns are Akamkpa,
Biase, Calabar
South, Ikom, Obubra, Odukpani, Ogoja, Ugep, Obudu, Obanliku and Akpabuyo.