The South-South is one of the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. It designates both a geographic and political region of the country's eastern coast. It comprises six states – Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, and Rivers.

The zone stretches along the Atlantic seaboard from the Bight of Benin coast in the west to the Bight of Bonny coast in the east. It encloses much of the Niger Delta, which is instrumental in the environment and economic development of the region. Geographically, the zone is divided with the Central African mangroves in the coastal far south while the major inland ecoregions are–from east to west–the Cross–Sanaga–Bioko coastal forests, Cross–Niger transition forests, Niger Delta swamp forests, and Nigerian lowland forests.

Although the South-South represents only ~10% of Nigerian territory by land area, it contributes greatly to the Nigerian economy due to extensive oil and natural gas reserves. The zone has a population of over 40 million people, around 12% of the total population of the country. Port Harcourt, Benin City, Uyo, and Calabar with Port Harcourt and Benin City being the most populous cities in the South-South, and the fourth- and fifth-most populous cities, respectively, in the country. Port Harcourt and its suburbs, together called Greater Port Harcourt, form the largest metropolitan area in the zone, with about 3 million people. Other large South-South cities include (in descending order by population) Warri/Uvwie, Eket, Abak, Ikot Ekpene, Ugep, Sapele, Buguma, Uromi, Ughelli, Ikom, Asaba and Agbor.

History

The South-South Region was created from parts of both the Western and Eastern regions of Nigeria in 1997 through the recommendation of the Alex Ekwueme panel, by the national regime of General Sani Abacha.

Edo, Delta, one-quarter of Bayelsa, and the Ndoni section of Rivers states were from the old Western region. Three-quarters of the area of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states were from the old Eastern region.

Tribes in South South Nigeria Tribes in South South Nigeria includes,Edo, Esan, Ibibio, Igbo, Yoruba, Ijaw, Urhobo, Ika, Ukwuani, Etsakor, Owan, Igala, Ekpeye, Ikwerre, Isoko, Efik, Annang, Oron, and Itsekiri among others.

Nigerian South South Capital City Uyo is considered as the capital city of Nigerian South South Region with the location of the Nigerian South South Development Commission in the city. This is different from the Capital City of Nigerian Niger Delta that is at Port Harcourt where the Niger Delta Development Commission is located.

Environment

Protected areas + Protected area Location AreaAfi Mountain Wildlife SanctuaryNorthern Cross River State104 km2 (40 sq mi)Afi River Forest ReserveNorthern Cross River State312 km2 (120 sq mi)Cross River National ParkCross River State~4,000 km2 (~1544 sq mi)Edumanom Forest ReserveSoutheastern Bayelsa State and Southwestern Rivers State93.24 km2 (36.00 sq mi)Mbe Mountains Community ForestNorthern Cross River State86 km2 (33 sq mi)Ohosu Game ReserveSouthern Edo State471 km2 (182 sq mi)Okomu Forest ReserveSouthern Edo State1,082 km2 (418 sq mi)Okomu National ParkSouthern Edo State181 km2 (70 sq mi)

Demographics

Languages Akwa Ibom Ibibio Annang Igbo Efik-Ibibio Oron language Obolo language Bayelsa Izon Ogbia Epie Cross River Efik Ibibio-Efik Humono Yala Nde-nsele-nta Igbo Bokyi Etung Legbo-Agbo Ejagham Ekoi Ekajuk Yakurr Efut Kiong Delta Enuani Urhobo Isoko Ika Ukwuani Itsekiri Igbo Ndokwa Yoruba Izon etc. Edo Owan Esan Etsako Yoruba Ika Igbanke Bini Rivers Andoni Okrika Kalabari Engenni Ikwerre Ogba Etche . Ekpeye Ndoki Igbo Ukwuani Egbema Ijaw Nkoro Ogoni Degema Abua Odual

Administration Regional development authorities On a federal level, the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and its parastatal – the Niger Delta Development Commission – cover the South-South in addition to three other oil-producing states (Abia, Imo, and Ondo). Unlike the development authorities of other zones like the North-East Development Commission, the present authorities are responsible for the areas outside of the South-South as the NDDC was created in response to protests and conflict in the wider Niger Delta region. Nonetheless, the creation of a South-South Development Commission has been repeatedly proposed by some lawmakers in the late 2010s and 2020s, with proponents advocating fairness with the other zones' commissions while opponents deride the proposal as redundant. The remit of the current development agencies includes ecological protection and infrastructure development; however, both the ministry and commission have long been beset by corruption and mismanagement that has led to the abandonment or failure of many projects.

States and local government areas

+ NameCode Seal Location City Local government areas Area Population(2019estimate)Demographic Statistics Bulletin 2020CapitalLargestAkwa IbomAKUyo314,780,581BayelsaBYYenagoa82,394,725Cross RiverCRCalabar184,175,020DeltaDEAsaba255,307,543EdoEDBenin City184,461,137RiversRIPort Harcourt237,034,973

Politics Although the areas that now comprise the South-South were electorally competitive during the first, second, and aborted third republics, every state in the region consistently voted for the nominees of the Peoples Democratic Party in fourth republic presidential elections from 1999 to 2019. After Olusegun Obasanjo won the South-South by substantial margins of victory in 1999 and 2003, Goodluck Jonathan – an indigene of Bayelsa State – expanded PDP margins greatly in 2011 and 2015. However, PDP margins of victory decreased in 2019, when Atiku Abubakar was the party nominee. In 2023, with Abubakar again as the PDP nominee, four South-South states broke their streaks of PDP voting – with Rivers being won by Bola Tinubu (APC) amid widespread irregularities while Cross River, Delta, and Edo voted for Peter Obi (LP).

In presidential elections Presidential votes in South-South states in the Fourth Republic:

Year Akwa Ibom Bayelsa Cross River Delta Edo Rivers 1999Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP) 2003Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP)Obasanjo(PDP) 2007N/A 2011Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP) 2015Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP)Jonathan(PDP) 2019Abubakar(PDP)Abubakar(PDP)Abubakar(PDP)Abubakar(PDP)Abubakar(PDP)Abubakar(PDP) 2023Abubakar(PDP)Abubakar(PDP)Obi(LP)Obi(LP)Obi(LP)Tinubu(APC)

Notes

References