South South · Capital: Port Harcourt
Rivers State
Governor: Siminalayi Fubara
Population
5,198,716
Land area
11,077 km²
Created
May 27, 1967
Governance
Sir Siminalayi Fubara (PDP) has served as Governor of Rivers State since May 2023. His tenure was disrupted by a severe political dispute with the State House of Assembly, leading President Bola Tinubu to declare a six-month state of emergency on 18 March 2025, suspending Fubara, his deputy, and the Assembly. He was fully reinstated on 18 September 2025 and resumed office, later declaring the crisis over.
History
Rivers State was created on 27 May 1967, one of the original 12 states, and takes its name from the Niger Delta's dense network of waterways. Nicknamed the 'Treasure Base of the Nation,' Port Harcourt is the commercial centre of Nigeria's oil industry. Its official 2006 census population was 5,198,716.
Natural Resources
Crude oil and natural gas
Rivers State is one of Nigeria's core oil- and gas-producing states, central to the national petroleum economy.
Tourism
Coastal beaches, creeks, and cultural festivals along the Niger Delta, from Opobo through Bonny Island.
- Bonny Island
- Port Harcourt waterfronts
Agriculture
Agriculture is secondary to the dominant petroleum economy, though fishing and palm produce remain locally significant.
Oil palm · Cassava · Fish
Investment
The commercial heart of Nigeria's oil industry, generating major national revenue despite historical challenges with infrastructure development and revenue management.
Oil & gas · Ports & maritime logistics · Petrochemicals · Trade
Infrastructure
Education
University of Port Harcourt · Rivers State University