Delta State is one of six states that make up Nigeria’s South-South geopolitical zone. Situated on the Niger River delta, the state is one of the country’s main oil-producing regions and has contributed significantly to its GDP growth in recent years.
History
Nigeria was under British and French rule in the 20th century before achieving independence in October 1960. Therefore, Delta State’s borders have been redrawn several times due to colonisation and civil war. On August 27, 1991 the present-day state was created from the southern half of Bendel State, while the northern part became Edo State.
Geography & Environment
Spanning an area of roughly 18,000 sq km, Delta State is bordered by Edo State to the north, Anambra and Rivers states to the east, and Bayelsa State to the south. The Bight of Benin is to the west, covering 163 km of the state’s coastline. The state faces several ecological issues, including erosion and flooding, which is seen mostly along the coast, resulting in the loss of agricultural land and residential properties. These hazards have increased in recent years due to climate change, which presents a major challenge for local farmers. The development of the country’s oil and gas industry has further exacerbated environmental problems across the region.
Demographics
The provisional census that was conducted in 1991 estimated that the state’s population was roughly 2.6m people. Considering that the Delta State government calculated the annual population change between 2006 and 2022 to be at around 2%, the population is estimated to have increased to 6.2m in 2022 compared to 4.1m in 2006. Delta State’s population density was calculated at around 332 people per sq km as of March 2022.
The eight main ethnic groups in Delta State are the Aniocha, Oshimili, Ika and Ndokwa to the east, and the Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Ijaw to the south and west. Although Asaba is the state’s capital, Warri is the most populous city and economic centre. It is also home to an oil refinery that is currently undergoing repairs and is expected to commence operations by December 2023.
Despite the various distinct ethnic groups that live in the region, many people claim common ancestry, meaning there is a clear overlap in terms of cultural traditions. Festivals marking the harvest seasons see attendees from multiple ethnic groups.
Politics
In 1997 Delta State was divided into 25 local government areas (LGAs), a structure it continues to use. The state operates under a two-tier system – the state government and the LGAs. The state government has three branches comprised of the executive council, the legislature and the judiciary. Each LGA has an executive committee and a legislative council.
Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led the state from 2015 to 2023, having been elected to a second term in 2019. However, Okowa did not run for re-election in March 2023, instead campaigning as the PDP’s candidate for vice-president alongside Atiku Abubakar in the presidential election that took place in February 2023. Sheriff Oborevwori, speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, won the March 2023 gubernatorial election as the PDP-backed candidate.
Smart Agenda
After taking office in May 2015, the Okowa administration launched a series of projects as part of its SMART Agenda, a development framework encompassing five aspects: strategic wealth creation, meaningful peace-building, agriculture and industrialisation, relevant health and education, and transformed environment through urban renewal. Some of the initiatives on the SMART agenda include the Delta State Medium-Term Development Plan 2020-23 that was announced in September 2020, which serves as a policy framework and roadmap for strengthening the state, as well as the Urban and Regional Planning Board Law, which was enacted in October 2021 to improve the sustainable development of the state’s urban areas through increased regulatory oversight.
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