Plateau State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria; its capital is Jos. It was created on 3 February 1976 from Benue-Plateau State. It is grouped in the North Central geopolitical zone.
Plateau State was created on 3 February 1976, when Benue-Plateau State was divided into Benue and Plateau states. It is named after the Jos Plateau, the upland area in the north of the state known for its rock formations. Its capital is Jos, and it is grouped in the North Central geopolitical zone. Its official nickname is "Home of Peace and Tourism".
Under British rule much of the area was first part of Bauchi Province. A separate Plateau Province was formed in 1926. Wikipedia says it was carved out of Bauchi Province, while the Nasarawa State Government describes it as drawn from the Muri, Nasarawa and Bauchi provinces. In May 1967 the Benue and Plateau provinces were joined to form Benue-Plateau State. That state was divided in 1976. On 1 October 1996 the western half of Plateau State was separated to form Nasarawa State, leaving the state with its present borders.
Plateau State borders Bauchi State to the north-east, Kaduna State to the north-west, Nasarawa State to the south-west and Taraba State to the south-east. It has seventeen local government areas: Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos, Jos East, Jos North, Jos South, Kanam, Kanke, Langtang North, Langtang South, Mangu, Mikang, Pankshin, Qua'an Pan, Riyom, Shendam and Wase.
Wikipedia counts more than forty ethno-linguistic groups in the state. Among them are the Berom, Afizere, Anaguta, Ngas, Mwaghavul, Mupun, Tarok, Goemai, Montol and the Kofyar peoples. It notes that Hausa is widely used for trade. Tiv communities are documented in the state at state level (see Connections). Wikipedia's language list by LGA also names Tiv in Langtang South, Qua'an Pan, Shendam and Wase.
The state is rich in minerals. The Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and Wikipedia both list tin, columbite, lead, zinc, coal, kaolin, marble and barytes. Wikipedia dates tin mining under the British to 1902. For farming, the Commission names maize, guinea corn, cassava, yams, rice and acha (fonio) among the major crops, together with vegetables such as tomatoes, onions, cabbages and carrots.
The state government's tourism page features Wase Rock, a dome-shaped inselberg near Wase town. Wikipedia also describes the National Museum in Jos, founded in 1952, whose collections include Nok terracotta sculptures.
The 2006 census counted 3,206,531 people, according to National Population Commission figures reproduced by City Population. Other published figures are listed below with their sources. Nigerian census results are disputed.
Most of the state lies on or around the Jos Plateau, an upland of hills, rock formations and grassland. According to Wikipedia, the altitude makes the climate cooler than most of Nigeria, with average temperatures of about 13 to 22 °C. The plateau is the source of several northern Nigerian rivers, including the Kaduna and Gongola. Wikipedia adds that decades of tin and columbite mining have left deep pits and lakes across the landscape.
The area is given as 27,147 square kilometres by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission and 26,539 square kilometres by Statoids. The state government rounds it to about 27,000. The figures are recorded below side by side.
- 3 February 1976 — Plateau State was created from Benue-Plateau State
- 1 October 1996 — Nasarawa State was created from Plateau State
Each figure is shown with its year and source. Where sources differ, all figures are listed.
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,717,300 | 2022 | Plateau (State, Nigeria) – Population Statistics |
| Population | 3,206,531 | 2006 | Plateau (State, Nigeria) – Population Statistics |
| Population | 3,178,712 | 2006 | States of Nigeria |
| Population | 2,104,536 | 1991 | Plateau (State, Nigeria) – Population Statistics |
| Population | 4,433,501 | — | Plateau State |
| Area km² | 27,147 | — | Plateau State |
| Area km² | 26,539 | — | States of Nigeria |
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 — Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 · link
- States of Nigeria — Gwillim Law, Statoids · link
- List of Nigerian states by date of statehood — Wikipedia · link
- Plateau State — Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) · link
- States of Nigeria — Wikipedia · link
- Country Guidance: Nigeria — General remarks — European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), February 2019 · link
- Plateau State — Wikipedia · link
- About Nasarawa State — Nasarawa State Government · link
- Plateau State Government – Official Website — Plateau State Government · link
- Tourism & Culture — Plateau State Government · link
- Plateau (State, Nigeria) – Population Statistics — Thomas Brinkhoff, City Population · link
Last updated 24 September 2026. Spotted an error or have a source to add? Tell us.