Hadejia

Hadejia is a town and Local Government Area in eastern Jigawa State, northeastern Nigeria. Historically known as Biram, it was counted among the "seven true Hausa states" (Hausa Bakwai). The Hadejia Emirate was founded in 1808 when Umaru, a Fulani leader, pledged allegiance to the jihadist Usman dan Fodio. His brother and successor, Emir Sambo (reigned 1808–1845), established the town as the headquarters of the new emirate. In 1851, Emir Buhari renounced allegiance to the Sokoto Caliphate and waged wars against the emirates of Kano, Katagum, and others. In 1906, the British occupied Hadejia, installed Emir Haruna, and incorporated it into Kano Province.

In 1991, Jigawa State was created, and Hadejia became part of the new state. The town serves as a market center for cotton, millet, sorghum, fish, and rice cultivated in the river valley. It is an important collecting point for groundnuts, a major export crop. Hadejia lies near the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands, an internationally recognized ecological zone. Local Hausa and Fulani peoples keep cattle, goats, sheep, and donkeys, while small lime industries operate in scattered parts of the area.

Today, Hadejia hosts important educational institutions such as Binyaminu Usman Polytechnic and the School of Nursing. A secondary highway linking Gumel and Nguru connects the town to Kano and the railway network. The town's population is approximately 130,000, comprising diverse ethnic groups including Hausa, Fulani, and Kanuri. Hadejia continues to function as a cultural and economic stronghold in northeastern Nigeria.