Pre-1500 — Ancient settlement#
Nupe, Gbagyi (Gwari), Bariba (Borgu), Kambari and Dukkawa settle the middle Niger valley and the Kainji highlands.
1500 — 1804 — Pre-colonial polities#
The Nupe Kingdom (capital Gbara, later Raba) consolidates under the Etsu Nupe Tsoede (c. 1531) — said to be a Nupe prince exiled from Idah. Borgu (Bussa, Kaiama, Wawa) lies west of the Niger; oral tradition links Bussa to the death of Mungo Park (1806) at the Bussa rapids.
1804 — 1903 — The long 19th century#
The Fulani scholar Mallam Dendo preaches the jihad in Nupe (1810) and his son Usman Zaki founds the Bida Emirate (1857) under Sokoto, displacing the Tsoede Nupe dynasty. The Royal Niger Company defeats Bida at the Battle of Bida (27 Jan 1897) under Major Arnold; Etsu Abubakar flees and is replaced by Muhammad. Borgu signs an RNC treaty in 1894 (Frederick Lugard's race against the French Captain Decoeur) — see Royal Niger Company Charter.
1900 — 1960 — Colonial provinces#
Zungeru is the capital of Northern Nigeria (1902–16) before Lugard moves it to Kaduna. Niger Province (1908).
1960 — present — State creation chain#
- 1967 — North-Western State (capital Sokoto).
- 3 Feb 1976 — Niger State (capital Minna).
- 1968 — Kainji Dam drowns Old Bussa, Old Wawa, Old Yauri and 200 villages; see Kainji Dam.