Makurdi is the capital of Benue State

Benue State

Benue is a state in the Middle-Belt region of Nigeria with a population of about 2.8 million in 1991. Tiv, Idoma, and Igede are spoken predominantly. There are other ethnic groups as well. These include Etulo and Abakwa...

 in Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

. The city is located in central Nigeria

Middle Belt

The Middle Belt is a human geographical term designating the region of central Nigeria populated largely by minority ethnic groups and stretching across the country longitudinally. The Middle Belt is indeterminate in that it lacks designated "borders" and is charactized by a heterogeneity and...

 along the Benue river bank

Benue River

The Benue River is the major tributary of the Niger River. The river is approximately 1,400 km long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months...

 and was the base for the Nigerian Air Force

Nigerian Air Force

The Nigerian Air Force is the air arm of the Nigerian Armed Forces.It is one of the largest in West Africa, consisting of about 15,000 personnel and aircraft including 15 Chengdu F-7s, and 24 Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jets, armed helicopters, and military transport aircraft. However in recent years...

's MiG 21 and SEPECAT Jaguar

SEPECAT Jaguar

The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...

 aircraft squadrons. As of 2007 Makurdi had an estimated population of 500,797.

Education

Makurdi is home to Benue State University

Benue State University

Benue State University is a state-owned and operated university in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Its 2006 student enrollment was over 19,000 served by 429 faculty. It offers both undergraduate and graduate programs and has a catalog of fifty graduate programs across seven colleges...

 and the Federal University of Agriculture.

Transport

Makurdi is located on the banks of Benue River

Benue River

The Benue River is the major tributary of the Niger River. The river is approximately 1,400 km long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months...

, a major tributary of the Niger River. It is also located on the main narrow gauge railway

Transport in Nigeria

Decaying infrastructure is one of the deficiencies that Nigeria’s National Economic Empowerment Development Strategy seeks to address. The government has begun to repair the country’s poorly maintained road network. Because Nigeria’s railways are in a parlous condition, the government is trying...

 line running north from Port Harcourt, although this is not currently working. There are regular bus services linking Makurdi to neighbouring towns.

Until a bridge was built in 1932, a train ferry

Train ferry

A train ferry is a ship designed to carry railway vehicles. Typically, one level of the ship is fitted with railway tracks, and the vessel has a door at the front and/or rear to give access to the wharves. In the United States, train ferries are sometimes referred to as "car ferries", as...

 was used to cross the Benue river.

Agriculture

Benue State is predominantly an agricultural catchment area specialising in cash crops, subsistence crops, and a variety of potentials

Potentials

Benue State has huge potentials in human, capital & material resource and a veritable source of raw materials for processing plants and manufacturing industries.