Makurdi

Makurdi is the capital city of Benue State in central Nigeria, founded in 1927 when the railway line from Port Harcourt was extended toward Jos and Kaduna. The town sits on the south bank of the Benue River, which gave it immediate importance as a transportation and market center. A combined rail and road bridge completed in 1932 further cemented its role as a vital transit point between northern and southern Nigeria. In the late 1970s an oil pipeline was constructed from the Port Harcourt refinery to Makurdi, adding an industrial dimension to its economy.

When Benue-Plateau State was split into two states in 1976, Makurdi was chosen as the capital of the newly created Benue State. This administrative promotion triggered rapid growth in government infrastructure and population. The city became a major transshipment point for cattle from the northern states and a trade hub for agricultural produce such as yams, groundnuts, cotton, sesame, and cassava cultivated by the Tiv, Idoma, and Igede peoples. It is also an educational center, hosting Benue State University and the Federal University of Agriculture.

Today Makurdi is home to approximately 517,000 residents spread across an area of about 937 square kilometers. It has an airport, modern road networks linking it to Lafia, Jos, Otukpo, and Enugu, and a boatyard that builds medium-size rivercraft. The city continues to serve as the political, educational, and economic heartbeat of the Middle Belt region.