MAJOR RIVERS IN NIGERIA
With over 250 ethnic groups, twenty-eight(28) of Nigeria’s thirty-six(36) states are accessible by water. It is estimated that 25% of Nigerians reside in coastal areas.
(1). RIVER NIGER
The Niger River is the principal river of West Africa, extending 4,180 km and having a drainage basin of 2,117,700 km2. It originates in the Guinea Highlands and runs through Mali, Niger, and Nigeria, discharging through the Niger Delta or Oil Rivers into the Gulf of Guinea. The Niger is the third-longest river in Africa, with its main tributary being the Benue River. The name “Niger” was first used by Leo Africanus in 1550, possibly from the Berber phrase “ger-n-ger”. European maps applied the name to the middle reaches of the river, while Mungo Park’s 18th-century visits correctly identified the river’s course. The modern nations of Nigeria and Niger take their names from the Niger, marking contesting national claims during the Scramble for Africa.
(2). RIVER BENUE
The Benue River, a major tributary of the Niger River, is a 1,400 km long river that is navigable during summer and is an important transportation route. It originates in northern Cameroon and flows west through Garoua, Lagdo Reservoir, and into Nigeria. The river has a mean discharge of 3,400 cubic metres per second before 1960, but has decreased due to irrigation.
(3). ANAMBRA RIVER
The Anambra River, a natural landmark in Anambra, Nigeria, was originally named Anam Branch of the River Niger by white men. It is believed to have sanctification power, cleansing iniquities through ritual baths. Ancient people from various kingdoms considered it sacred, and priests performed sacred rites and sacrifices. The river has been the site of many wars, with blood spilled into the Atlantic Ocean for alchemical interactions. The Anam people refer to it as “Ọnwụbala” in their folklores. The river flows 210 kilometers into the Niger River and forms the Niger Delta region.
(4). OGUN RIVER
The Ogun River, originating in Sepeteri Oyo State, flows through Ogun State into Lagos State and is crossed by the Ikere Gorge Dam. Its reservoir, which has a capacity of 690 million cubic meters, abuts the Old Oyo National Park and provides recreational facilities for tourists. The river is used for bathing, washing, drinking, and draining organic waste from abattoirs. In the Yoruba religion, Yemoja is the divinity of the Ogun River. The river was a crucial route for traders.
(5). SOKOTO RIVER
The Sokoto River, a tributary of the Niger in Nigeria, originates near Funtua and flows north-west through Zamfara, Sokoto, Rima, Birnin Kebbi, and Niger. It is a significant source of irrigation and transport, with the Bakolori Dam being a major reservoir. The river’s confluence with the Niger River is 120 km south of Birnin Kebbi.
(6). CALABAR RIVER
The Calabar River in Cross River State, Nigeria, once a major source of slaves, now serves as a natural harbor for vessels with a draft of 6 meters. Despite being eclipsed by Port Harcourt in the 1920s, Calabar’s port has regained importance with improved roads. However, the river’s tropical rainforest is being destroyed and pollution is decreasing fish and shrimp catches.
(7). KADUNA RIVER
The Kaduna River, a 550 km tributary of the Niger River, flows through Nigeria, named after the crocodiles it inhabited. It begins in Plateau State and flows through Kaduna State, Kaduna, and Niger River, passing through savanna woodland and Niger floodplains.
(8). OSUN RIVER
The Oṣun River, a popular and venerated Orisha in Nigeria, flows through central Yorubaland and into the Lagos Lagoon and Atlantic Gulf of Guinea. Named after the river goddess Osun, she is known for providing for people’s needs and being one of the wives of the Yoruba god of thunder, Ṣango. The annual worship at the Oṣun Shrine attracts pilgrims and tourists.
(9). IMO RIVER
The Imo River, also known as Inyang Imoh in Akwa Ibom State, flows 240 kilometers into the Atlantic Ocean. Its estuary is 40 kilometers wide and has an annual discharge of 4 cubic kilometers. The river’s tributary rivers are Otamiri and Oramirukwa. The river’s deity, the female Imo Mmiri, is believed to be its owner. A festival is held annually.
(10). CROSS RIVER
The Cross River, also known as Oyono, is the main river in southeastern Nigeria, originating in Cameroon. It flows through swampy rainforest and forms an inland delta near its confluence with the Calabar River. The delta empties into a broad estuary, 24 kilometers wide, with the eastern side in Cameroon. The major tributary is the Aloma river from Benue State. Cross River State is connected to its sister state Akwa Ibom via a major highway. The river forms a boundary between two tropical moist forest ecoregions: the Cross-Niger transition forests and the Cross-Sanaga-Bioko coastal forests.
