Kebbi

Kebbi State exists because one kingdom refused absorption into the Sokoto Caliphate. When Fulani jihadists conquered the Hausa state of Kebbi in 1808, its rulers fled to Argungu and founded a new emirate. For the next century, Kebbi fought Sokoto on and off - a resistance that ended only when the British seized both. This defiance is celebrated annually in the Argungu Fishing Festival, established in 1934 to mark the end of hostilities. UNESCO inscribed the festival in 2016 for its "outstanding universal value": 50,000 fishermen compete to catch the largest fish, with winners receiving millions of naira, cars, and Hajj trips. The festival transforms historical conflict into cultural tourism. Carved from Sokoto State in 1991, Kebbi now anchors Nigeria's rice revolution. Over 70,000 farmers participate in Anchor Borrowers programs for rice and wheat, positioning the state as an agro-commerce hub. The Kingdom of Kebbi's founder, Muhammadu Kotal Kanta, carved it from the Songhai Empire - a warrior tradition that persists in the state's independent spirit. Cotton, groundnuts, and tobacco grow in riverine floodplains. By 2026, rice production scale will determine whether Kebbi achieves its ambition as Nigeria's food security anchor.