Pre-1500 — Ancient settlement#
The Niger-Benue confluence — the geographical heart of Nigeria — is settled by Igala, Ebira (Igbira), Bassa-Nge, Bassa-Komo, Okun-Yoruba (Owe, Ijumu, Yagba, Bunu, Oworo, Abinu), Nupe, Ogori and Magongo communities. Stone Age tool finds at Iffe-Ijumu and Lokoja date to at least 3000 BCE.
1500 — 1804 — Pre-colonial polities#
The Igala Kingdom at Idah is the dominant pre-colonial polity, with the Attah Igala as its priest-king (the Attah Ayegba Om'Idoko, c. 1535–1601, is the founding hero whose daughter Inikpi is sacrificed to ensure victory over Benin — the Inikpi monument at Idah commemorates her). The Igala Kingdom controlled both banks of the lower Niger and the lower Benue, tributary to the Jukun Kororofa kingdom further north-east. The Ebira polities (Ebira-Tao at Okene and Ebira-Koto at Koton-Karfe) form their own kingdoms. The Okun-Yoruba groups remain segmentary — small ranged confederations.
1804 — 1903 — The long 19th century#
The Nupe Emirate (Bida) under the Fulani jihad pushes south into Yagba and Bunu Okun-Yoruba territory; raids reach as far as Akure. The 1857 Wesleyan and CMS missions at Lokoja (the first inland mission stations in Nigeria, founded after the 1841 Niger Expedition) and the 1879 establishment of the Royal Niger Company headquarters at Lokoja make the confluence the bridgehead of British penetration. Lord Lugard chooses Lokoja as the headquarters of the West African Frontier Force in 1900 and proclaims the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria there on 1 January 1900. See Northern Protectorate 1900.
1900 — 1960 — Colonial provinces#
Kabba Province within Northern Nigeria (covered most of present-day Kogi). The Igala Native Authority is consolidated under the Attah Igala; Igbirra (Ebira) Division under the Ohinoyi of Ebira; Kabba-Okun under various Okun-Yoruba *obas*. The 1956 discovery of Itakpe iron-ore deposits flags Kogi as future industrial heartland.
1960 — present — State creation chain#
- 1960–67 — Northern Region.
- 1967 — Kwara State (capital Ilorin) — most of present-day Kogi assigned to Kwara; the Igala Division goes to Benue-Plateau State.
- 1976 — Benue State carved out (Igala goes to Benue).
- 27 August 1991 — Babangida creates Kogi State (capital Lokoja) from the Igala-speaking LGAs of Benue and the Okun/Ebira LGAs of Kwara — making Kogi the only state created from two parent states.
- 1979 — Ajaokuta Steel project commissioned (never completed). See Ajaokuta Steel.