North West · Capital: Katsina
Katsina State
Governor: Dikko Umaru Radda
Population
5,801,584
Land area
24,192 km²
Created
September 23, 1987
Governance
Dikko Umaru Radda, Ph.D, CON (born 1969) has served as Governor of Katsina State since 2023, and secured the APC ticket for a second term in May 2026. He has emphasized data-driven governance, directing state agencies to align planning with current population and demographic data.
History
Katsina State was created on 23 September 1987 from the former Kaduna State. Katsina city itself is far older: a historic Hausa kingdom and emirate believed founded in the 10th or 11th century, it became a major trans-Saharan trading centre after Islam's introduction in the 1450s. Two of Nigeria's former presidents, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and Muhammadu Buhari, hail from Katsina State. Its official 2006 census population was 5,801,584.
Natural Resources
Kaolin
Industrial clay mineral found widely across the state.
Gold
Gold deposits identified across parts of the state, alongside manganese, uranium, and nickel.
Tourism
One of the oldest Hausa city-states, with monuments spanning nearly a thousand years of history.
- Gobaru Minaret
- National Museum, Katsina
- Kusugu Well, Daura
Agriculture
Over 80% of residents engage in agriculture, primarily subsistence farming and livestock rearing.
Millet · Sorghum · Maize · Cotton · Groundnuts
Investment
State investment priorities include rice and wheat processing, sugar production, tanneries, tomato processing, fertilizer blending, and solid minerals exploration.
Agro-processing · Solid minerals · Livestock & meat processing · Textiles
Infrastructure
Education
Umaru Musa Yar'adua University · Federal University, Dutsin-Ma · Katsina Islamic University