NORTH CENTRAL HIGHLANDS OF NIGERIA

Physical Features

This is a very extensive region that extends from Katsina in the north to Yelwa in the West, Bauchi in the east and Kafanchan in the south.

The landscape is made up of gentle, undulating plains. The relief ranges between 600m and 900m above sea level.

The Jos Plateau is the highest relief feature in this region and has an average elevation of 1200m. The region is underlain essentially by basement complex rocks. There are some extinct volcanic features on the Jos Plateau, like the volcanic neck in Wase town. This is a reflection of past volcanic activity in the area. As indicated earlier, the north-central highlands region is Nigeria’s major hydrographic centre or watershed. Numerous rivers, such as, Sokoto, Kaduna, Gongola, Yedseram, Yobe, Hadeija and Komadugu Gana take their sources from this region.

This region enjoys single maximum of rainfall, which lasts for about six months from April to September, followed by a marked dry season. The northern part of this region is drier than the southern end. The mean annual rainfall declines from 1000mm in the south to 500m in the north.

Sudan savanna is the dominant vegetation type in this area, due to its moderate rainfall regime; however, guinea savanna or savanna woodland is found along its southern fringes, with trees growing as tall as 12 metres.

 

People and Population

The major ethnic groups in the region are the Fulani and Hausa; and the minor ones include the Gwari, Kaje, Angas, Birom, and Pankshins. Major Hausa settlements in this region are Kano and Kaduna, which have population densities of over 200 persons per square kilometre. Jos, Bauchi, and Katsina are other major urban centres in the area. Apart from high population densities experienced in the major urban centres, the greater part of the area is sparsely populated and the settlements are dispersed.

 

Resources and Economic Activities

The favourable climate allows for the cultivation of several cereal and cash crops, which are the main resources in the area. Livestock farming is also an important economic activity, with the abundance of grassland and the absence of tsetse fly in the area.

Fertile soils are found in some parts of this region, such as, the fertile loamy soil in Zaria area. The relatively low rainfall received in the area helps to check heavy leaching. Irrigation farming is practised in many parts of the region, aimed at improving agricultural output. A number of irrigation schemes are found in Kano State. These include the Hadeija-Jamaare irrigation scheme and the Tiga Dam irrigation project apart from many other smaller irrigation projects. Irrigated farms are involved in the production of vegetables, tomatoes, onions and wheat among other crops. Kano State has the highest hectares of irrigated farmlands of all in Nigeria and most crops here are cultivated all year round.

This region is also noted for the production of cotton and groundnut in commercial quantities and as industrial raw materials for both local and foreign manufacturing industries. Other crops produced in the area in commercial quantities include maize, cowpeas, millet, sorghum and rice. These crops are sold in market centres throughout Nigeria.

The large scale production of cotton and groundnut in this region has led to the establishment of edible oil and textile industries in Kano, Kaduna, Jos and Zaria, which are the most industrialized cities in this region. There is a tomato processing factory in Gombe and dairy processing in Vom near Jos. Kaduna is home to one of the largest and most modern oil refineries in Nigeria, managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC); and the Peugeot Car Manufacturing Company of Nigeria is also located in Kaduna. Apart from modern industries, local arts and craft is aflourishing industry in the area. Examples include leather works in Jos (Naraguta), Kano and Zaria and cloth dyeing in Kano; and pottery works in parts of Jos and the southern parts of this region.

The north-central highlands region is also endowed with mineral resources. Major minerals are tin and columbite in Jos and Bukuru area, and gypsum and limestone in Bauchi. The latter mineral led to the establishment of the Ashaka cement factory in Bauchi.

 

Transport

A network of modern roads serves and links all parts of the region to other parts of the country. The region is also served with railway and air routes. Aminu Kano international airport in Kano is one of the oldest airports in the country. There are also airports in Kaduna, Jos, and Bauchi. This region has benefitted tremendously from the location of Abuja and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Many modern dual carriage roads have been constructed to link different parts of the country to Abuja and there are plans to build not only more roads but also rail lines. The Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport is located in the FCT.

 

Problems of Development

1. Very high temperatures experienced in the area during the dry season can scare investors, potential tourists and people generally.
2. The area experiences occasional gale force winds, rainstorms and dust storms that can be very destructive.
3. The area is prone to drought and records low and variable amounts of rainfall annually.
4. The northern parts of this region are experiencing desert encroachment, which is a threat to human settlement and agricultural production.
5. There is usually high labour shortage in the agricultural sector during the rainy season because of massive rural-urban migration from the area.
6. The nomadic culture of the Fulani cattle is a source of conflict with arable farmers. There are usually conflicts over grazing land and the trampling and destruction of crops by cattle among many other problems.
7. The area is prone to periodic invasions by locusts, grasshoppers and quela birds, all of which destroy the grain crops.