Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Nigeria. It is located in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River. It is a trade center and a major transportation hub as the gateway to northern states of Nigeria, with its rail and important road network.^[3][4]

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Kaduna
Clockwise from top: Lugard Hall, the Kaduna River, columns in honour of Elizabeth II's state visit, and entrance of Hassan Usman Katsina House
Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 10°31′23″N 7°26′25″E
Country	Nigeria
State	Kaduna State
Government
• Governor	Uba Sani
Area
• Total	431 km2 (166 sq mi)
Elevation	250 m (820 ft)
Population  (2006 census)[1]
• Total	760,084
• Rank	8th
• Density	1,800/km2 (4,600/sq mi)
• Ethnicities	Gbagyi Adara Hausa Atyap-Bajju Ham Yoruba Fulani Kanuri Marghi Nupe Igbo
GDP (PPP, 2015 int. Dollar)
• Year	2023
• Total	$9.7 billion[2]
• Per capita	$8,200
Time zone	UTC+1 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (CEST)
Climate	Aw
Website	www.kdsg.gov.ng

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The population of Kaduna was at 760,084 as of the 2006 Nigerian census.^[5] Rapid urbanization since 2005 has created an increasingly large population, as of 2023, the estimated population is 1.1 million.^[6]

The etymology of the word Kaduna is said to be a corruption of the Hausa word for "crocodiles", Kaddanni in the Hausa language (kaduna being the plural form).^[7] Another version of the name proposes a link to the Gbagyi word/name 'Odna', meaning 'river'.^[8]

Kaduna was founded by British colonists in 1900.^[9] The first British governor of Northern Nigeria, Sir Frederick Lugard, chose the present site for development due to its proximity to the Lagos-Kano Railway.^[10] It became the capital of Nigeria's former Northern Region in 1917,^[11] and retained this status until 1967. The city is still influential as the headquarters of various political, military and cultural organizations especially in Northern Nigeria.^[12]

In 1976, when the General Murtala Mohammed administration created seven new states in Nigeria, North Central State, with capital at Kaduna, was renamed Kaduna State. It was made up of the two colonial period Provinces of Zaria and Katsina. When in 1991, the number of states in the country was increased from twenty-one to thirty. Katsina Province became Katsina State, while the old Zaria Province became the new Kaduna State. There are twenty-three local government areas (LGAs) in the state, although the number of ethnic groups is much larger.^[13]

There is a large racecourse named Murtala Mohammed Square, approximately 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) round, inside which is found the Kaduna Polo Club. Kaduna Golf Club is also located within the Kaduna CBD. Other sports facilities include the Ahmadu Bello Stadium and Ranchers Bees Stadium. There are several hotels in the city.^{[20][citation needed]}

The infrastructure network in the city were upgraded by the administration of Governor Nasir el-Rufai with underpass, flyover structures and streetlight facilities. Kaduna has an inland dry port.^[21] The Nigerian military has several installations in the city including the Nigerian Defence Academy.^[22]

The city is served by Kaduna International Airport. The airport commenced operations in 1982.^[23] The Nigerian Air Force maintains a presence in the city.^[24][25]

Kaduna is also on the route of the planned Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway, which has been completed between the national capital of Abuja and Kaduna. Trains for Abuja depart from the Rigasa Railway Station in Kaduna.^[26] Kaduna is an important junction on Nigeria's Cape gauge railway network. At Kaduna, a branch line connects the Lagos–Nguru Railway to the Port Harcourt–Maiduguri railway.^{[citation needed]}

Kaduna is popularly known as the centre of learning, as evident from the numerous educational institutions located in the state. Tertiary Institutions in Kaduna city include:

• Kaduna State University^[27]
• Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna^[22]
• Greenfield University Kaduna^[28]
• National Open University of Nigeria, Kaduna Study Center
• Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna^[29]
• National Teachers Institute (NTI), Kaduna^[30]
• School of Midwifery Kaduna^[31]
• Kaduna Polytechnic (1968), Kaduna^[32][33]
• National board for Islamic and Arabic studies^[34]
• Kaduna Business School^[35][36]
• Dialogue Institute Kaduna
• Institute of Ophthalmology, National Eye Centre, Kaduna.^[37]
• National board for Arabic and Islamic studies
• National center for nomadic education
• Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State

Administration of the state started with the concept of Provincial Administration and Native/Local Authority systems. However, in 1976 the Mohammed Administration introduced the Local Government Area system (LGA) which delegated some responsibilities to the elected/appointed councillors. With each successive Federal Military Administration, the number of the LGAs in Kaduna State increased from fourteen in early 1980s to the present twenty three in 1998. In each LGA, smaller units such as districts and wards, are recognised.^[13]

Among the places of worship, there are churches and mosques.^[38] Sultan Bello Mosque is the biggest and a central mosque in Kaduna. There are also churches: Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Presbyterian Church of Nigeria (World Communion of Reformed Churches), Nigerian Baptist Convention (Baptist World Alliance), Living Faith Church Worldwide, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Assemblies of God, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kaduna (Catholic Church), Mountain of fire and miracles ministries, Universal Reformed Christian Church, Kaduna (Protestant Church).^{[citation needed]}

• Railway stations in Nigeria
• Kaduna State
• National Ear Care Centre