Geopolitical zones of Nigeria

The Federal Republic of Nigeria is divided into six geopolitical zones, commonly called zones. They are a type of administrative division grouping the country's states, created during the regime of president General Sani Abacha. Nigerian economic, political, and educational resources are often shared across the zones.:98

The six zones were not entirely carved out based on geographic location, but rather states with similar ethnic groups, and/or common political history were classified in the same zones. Nigeria is made up of approximately 400 ethnic groups and 525 languages. There was a need for the government to merge similar groups for the effective allocation of resources.