Kaduna

Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Nigeria. It is located in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River. It is a trade centre and a major transportation hub as the gateway to northern states of Nigeria, with its rail and important road network. The population of Kaduna was at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census. Rapid urbanization since 2005 has created an increasingly large population, as at 2023, the estimated population is 1.1 million. The project population of people in Kaduna state as at 2021 is 8.9 million people. The etymology of the word Kaduna is said to be a corruption of the Hausa word for "crocodiles", Kaddani in the Hausa language (kaduna being the plural form). Another version of the name proposes a link to the Gbagyi word/name 'Odna', meaning 'river'. Kaduna was founded by British colonists in 1900. The first British governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir Frederick Lugard, chose the present site for development due to its proximity to the Lagos-Kano Railway. It became the capital of Nigeria's former Northern Region in 1917, and retained this status until 1967. The city is still influential as the headquarters of various political, military and cultural organizations especially in Northern Nigeria. Kaduna is a major industrial centre in Northern Nigeria, manufacturing products like textiles, machinery, steel, aluminium, petroleum products and bearings. However, the textile industry has been in decline due to recent Chinese imports and factory closures caused by years of neglect during the military dictatorship in Nigeria. Other light manufactures include: plastics, pharmaceuticals, leather goods, furniture, and televisions. Agriculture is also a major industry in Kaduna, and as such, the Bank of Agriculture has its headquarters in the city. Some main agricultural exports include: cotton, peanuts, sorghum, and ginger. Kaduna also has a branch of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Automobile manufacturing also remains an important part of Kaduna's economy.