Lokoja
About
Lokoja is a city in central Nigeria, located at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers. It is the capital city of Kogi State and also serves as the headquarters of Lokoja Local Government Area, which is governed by an elected local government chairman.
History
The area that would become Lokoja has been inhabited for hundreds of years by people from different ethnic groups, including the Nupe, Kupa, Kakanda, Oworo Yoruba, Bassa-Nge and Hausa. Its proximity to the Niger and Benue rivers encouraged migration and made it a centre of trade. The present modern settlement was established in 1857 by the British explorer William Baikie at the site of an earlier model farm, and it later served as the capital of the British Northern Nigeria Protectorate. After the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria in 1914, Lokoja remained a convenient administrative town, and the first Governor-General, Sir Frederick Lugard, governed Nigeria from Lokoja.
Source: Wikipedia: Lokoja
Key Facts
State
Kogi State
Chairman
Abdullahi Adamu
Established
1857
Area
3,180 km²
Population
692,050 (2020)