Katsina State

Katsina State (Hausa: Jihar Katsina جِىهَرْ کَڟِࢽَ; Fula: Leydi Katsina 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤳𞤢𞥁𞤭𞤲𞤢) is a state in the northwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered to the west by Zamfara State, to the east by Kano and Jigawa states, and to the south by Kaduna State, while its northern border forms part of the national border with Niger. The state capital is the city of Katsina, and the state is divided into 34 local government areas. The state is nicknamed the "Home of Hospitality".

With an estimated population of 9.3 million residents as of 2023, Katsina State is the third most populous state in the country, despite the fact that it only ranks 17th out of 36 states in terms of area. Geographically, Katsina is primarily located within the West Sudanian savanna, although parts of the north of the state transition into the semi-desert Sahelian savanna. Major rivers in the state include the Bunsuru, Gada, and Sokoto rivers, which provide water for agriculture and settlements.

Demographically, the Hausa people are the largest ethnic group in the state with minorities of Fulani and non-indigene groups. In terms of religion, Islam (79%) is the most practised faith with minorities of adherents of Christianity (20%) and traditionalist religions (~1%), particularly Maguzawa groups.

In the pre-colonial period, much of Katsina State was part of the Hausa Bakwai states, with the cities of Daura and Katsina emerging as a major centers of trade and Islamic learning during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In the early nineteenth century, the Fulani jihad led to the establishment of Daura and Katsina as emirates within the Sokoto Caliphate. During the British colonial era, Katsina was incorporated into the Northern Nigeria Protectorate which later merged into British Nigeria. Upon Nigeria's independence in 1960, Katsina was part of the Northern Region until the region was divided in 1967, and it became part of the North-Central State (later renamed Kaduna State). In 1987, Katsina State was created from the northern portion of Kaduna State. Since the mid-2010s, Katsina has been one of the Nigerian states hit hardest by local banditry and terrorism. In 2020, over 300 children were kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram in the town of Kankara.

Economically, Katsina State is largely reliant on agriculture, with key crops including millet, sorghum, maize, rice, groundnuts, and cotton. Livestock farming and herding is also significant, with cattle, goats, and sheep widely reared. Katsina has the fourth lowest Human Development Index and ranks in the mid-range of GDPs in the country.