Top 10 Longest Rivers in Nigeria
Rivers are essential natural income sources for all countries around the world, and Nigeria is no exception. Today we provide you with the Top 10 Longest Rivers in Nigeria. The significance of these rivers cannot be overstated, since they provide clean water, protection, transportation, and, in many cases, free electricity. These Nigerian rivers are also popular tourism destinations. Rivers are used to providing irrigation schemes for farmers, which enhances the amount of food available to Nigerians.
With all of the services listed above, rivers undoubtedly play a significant part in the economy of any country through which they travel.
Nigeria’s two major rivers are Benue and the Niger. Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Benin are among the west African countries that share these rivers.
Nigeria also contains a number of other significant rivers, which contribute to our top ten list of the country’s longest rivers.
Rivers’ Importance in Nigeria
Following are the duties most rivers serve in any country;
- Increases the fertility of the soil
- Getting around (Water transportation in this case)
- For the purpose of irrigation
- generation of electricity/power
- Attraction for tourists
- Some animals’ habitat
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Top 10 Longest Rivers In Nigeria
#1. The Niger River
The Niger River flows through Nigeria’s south-eastern region and the Niger delta. It is the longest river in Nigeria and West Africa, extending 2,597 miles and passing through four additional African countries. This river has become an essential transit route in the regions and countries through which it runs as a result of its landmass.
The Niger River is also Africa’s third-longest river, trailing only the Nile and Congo Rivers, which are first and second, respectively.
#2. Benue River
In our ranking of Nigeria’s top 10 longest rivers, the River Benue is a major challenger for River Niger.
River Benue is 870 miles long and ranks second among Nigeria’s top ten longest rivers, slightly behind the Niger. It flows into the Niger River as a tributary. Nigeria and Cameroon share the River Benue, which acts as a key transit corridor between the two West African countries.
#3. Kaduna River
The River Kaduna is number three on the list of places to visit in Nigeria. The river Kaduna is Nigeria’s third-longest. It runs approximately 550 kilometers in Nigeria as a tributary of the Niger River.
The crocodiles that resided in the river and surrounding region gave it the name “KADUNA RIVER.” The term “CROCODILES” was KADUNA in the local dialect (Hausa).
The River Kaduna originates on the Jos Plateau in Plateau State, Nigeria, then runs through Kaduna State, ending in Niger State, where it meets the River Niger (Nigeria).
#4. Gongola River
The Gongola River flows through Nigeria’s north-eastern region. It is a major tributary of the Benue River and runs through Nigeria for around 330 kilometers. Most of the tributaries of the River Gongola are seasonal streams, although they fill up quickly in August and September.
The Gongola River is one of the rivers in Nigeria where the pressure and speed of the water flow are used to create energy. It is home to a number of dams in Nigeria, including the Dadin Kowa Dam in Gombe State and the Kiri Dam in Shelleng, Adamawa State (Nigeria).
#6. Cross River
The Cross River, which flows across Nigeria’s south-eastern region, is one of the country’s longest rivers. The renowned Nigerian Cross River State is named after this river. It begins in Cameroon at the Manyu River and travels 304 kilometers through Nigeria’s major cities, including Oron, Calabar, and parts of the Niger Delta.
#7. Sokoto River
The Sokoto River, also known as the GublinKebbi River, is a river in Nigeria’s northwestern region. It’s also a Niger tributary. The Sokoto River begins in Funtua, Katsina State, and runs through some of Nigeria’s most populous towns, including Gusau (Zamfara State), Sokoto (Sokoto State), and BirninKebbi, for a total distance of roughly 199 miles.
This river is particularly vital to Nigeria’s economy since it is the site of the Gusau Dam in Zamfara State. This dam creates a reservoir that provides water to the city and its residents for residential and agricultural purposes. The Gusau dam also serves as a power source.
#8. River Osun
The Osun River is Yorubaland’s most well-known river. It originates in Nigeria’s southwestern regions and runs south through most of the country’s southwestern states, eventually emptying into the Lagos Lagoon and the Atlantic Gulf of Guinea.
The River Osun is the largest river in South-Western Nigeria and the eighth longest river in Nigeria, with a length of around 166 miles. It’s one of the numerous rivers in Yorubaland that were supposed to be women who changed into flowing streams after being terrified or enraged by a terrible occurrence.
#9. Zamfara River
The Zamfara River, located in Nigeria’s northwestern region, is one of the country’s longest rivers. Its origins may be traced back to the Zamfara State. The Zamfara River flows through many states in Northern Nigeria, including Kebbi State, Sokoto State (Sokoto River), and BirninKebbi in Kebbi State, covering a distance of around 155 miles.
#10. Anambra River
The Anambra River is a significant waterway in Nigeria’s southeast. It was created by cutting a channel out of the Niger River and naming it after several white males who resided there at the time.
The river is 131 kilometers long. River Niger, Lokoja, and significant areas in the Niger-Delta regions of Nigeria are just a few of the popular sites in Nigeria where it runs.
To this day, the Anambra River remains a key landmark and economic booster for the administration of Anambra State and Nigeria as a whole.
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Facts About the Longest River in the world by length
Do you know the longest river in the world is the Nile River? with 6,693 Km. Although most of us think of the Nile as Egypt’s lifeline, it is actually an international river that flows through 11 African nations. In two nations, however, it is the primary supply of water: Egypt and Sudan. The river’s two tributaries are the Blue and White Niles, with the latter having a longer length than the former.
The exact location of the White Nile’s source is unknown; however, it is thought to be in Burundi or Rwanda. According to some reports, Lake Victoria is the source of the White Nile, which is supplied by the Kagera River, which has two major tributaries in Burundi and Rwanda, respectively, the Ruvyironza and Nyabarongo rivers. Near the Tanzania-Rwanda border, the Kagera is produced by the confluence of these two rivers. The Blue Nile has a more definite source in Ethiopia’s Lake Tana.
The two tributaries meet near the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. The Nile River’s final course is through Egypt before it forms a delta and drains into the Mediterranean Sea. According to the USGS, the length of the Nile River is 4,258 miles. It is the longest river in the world as well as the longest river in Africa.
List Of All Rivers In Nigeria
- Ouémé River
- Ogunpa River
- Osun River
- Okpara River
- Ogun River
- Oyan River
- Omi Osun
- Benin River
- Goulbi de Maradi River
- Gagere River
- Bunsuru River
- Nun River (distributary)
- New Calabar River (distributary)
- Ofiki River
- Ona River (Awna River)
- Erinle River
- Otin River
- Oba River
- Gongola River
- Hawal River
- Faro River
- Gurara River
- Osse River
- Niger River
- Escravos River (distributary)
- Anambra River
- Benue River
- Okwa River
- Mada River
- Katsina Ala River
- Forcados River (distributary)
- Chanomi Creek (distributary)
Menchum River - Ankwe River
- Donga River
- Bantaji River (Suntai River)
- Wase River
- Taraba River
- Kam River
- Pai River
- Kaduna River
- Galma River (Nigeria)
- Moshi River
- Mariga River
- Tubo River
- Teshi River
- Oli River
- Malendo River
- Sokoto River
- Ka River
- Zamfara River
- Gaminda River
- Rima River
- Bonny River
- Imo River
- Aba River
- Otamiri River
- Kwa Ibo River
- Cross River
- Akwayafe River
- Great Kwa River
- Calabar River
- Asu River
- Aboine River
- Ekulu River
- Anyim River
- Lake Chad
- Yobe River
- KomaduguGana River
- Jama’are River (Bunga River)
- Katagum River
- Hadejia River
- Chalawa River
- Kano River
- Watari River
- Ngadda River
- Yedseram Rivera
Conclusion
These rivers play a major role in boosting the Nigerian economy and the everyday life of individuals who live near them. Communities who reside near these rivers depend on the water generated by the rivers to irrigate their crops, do normal domestic chores, and others.
The River Niger as the longest river in Nigeria also serves as a means of transport and fishing in large quantities thereby reducing the high unemployment rate of citizens in the country. If you liked the post, please share it with your friends who are willing to learn about the longest rivers in Nigeria.
