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Ikot Ekpene

Ikot Ekpene
Town
Nickname: 
I.K
Motto: 
The Raffia City
Ikot Ekpene is located in Nigeria
Ikot Ekpene
Ikot Ekpene
Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 5°11′N 7°43′E / 5.183°N 7.717°E / 5.183; 7.717
CountryNigeria
StateAkwa Ibom
Government
 • ChairmanHon. Unyime Okon Etim
Area
 • Total
45 sq mi (116 km2)
Population
 (2006 census)
 • Total
143,077
 • Estimate 
(2022)
180,500
 • Density3,200/sq mi (1,200/km2)
GDP (PPP, 2015 int. Dollar)
 • Year2023
 • Total$3.5 billion[1]
 • Per capita$8,100
Time zoneUTC+1 (WAT)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (not observed)
ClimateAm
Websitewww.annangheritage.org https://www.raffiacityhub.com.ng
Map

Ikot Ekpene, also known as The Raffia City, is a historic town in the south-southern state[2] of Akwa Ibom, Nigeria.[3][4] It is the political and cultural capital of the Annang ethnic group in Nigeria (Nair, 1972). The town is located on the A342 highway that parallels the coast, between Calabar to the southeast and Aba to the west, with the state capital, Uyo, on this road just to the east. Umuahia is the next major town to the north.[5] The population of the Ikot Ekpene Local government area was estimated to be 180,500 in 2022.[6]

Kannan Nair, the noted historian described the town as a cultural and political capital of the Annangs and the Ibibios. The Ibibios live to the east and most of the Annangs live to the south of the town. Villages in the local government area include:

Ikot Ekpene is known as a regional centre of commerce, with notable exports of palm products, especially palm oil, kernels, raffia products including raffia fibers and its wine, and ground crops of yams, cassava, taro, and corn.[7][8] The population is made up primarily of the Annang people with a small number of Igbo traders and Hausa Suya vendors. Significant exports also include basket weaving, sculpture, and, most notably, raffia cane furniture (hence the colloquial name of the town).

Ikot Ekpene is also known for its technological innovations due to the emergence of Raffia City Hub.[9] Raffia City Hub is an inclusive technological community that supports collaboration, resource sharing, talent hunting, and entrepreneurs. The new Ikot Ekpene Local Government Boss (Caretaker Chairman Ikot Ekpene) Hon. John Cleton Etim inaugurated the Raffia City Entrepreneurs scheme committee. Also the headquarters of some notable seminaries and The Catholic Diocese in the south-south region. The Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic Ikot Osurua, Ritman University is located in the city. The city houses the notable mini stadium at GRA road, Nteps Super Markets, Four Point by Sheraton hotels, plaza etc.

  1. ^ "TelluBase—Nigeria Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)" (PDF). Tellusant. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  2. ^ "Map – Ikot Ekpene (Ikot-Ekpene) – MAP[N]ALL.COM". www.mapnall.com. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  3. ^ Books, L. L. C. (23 February 2017). Local Government Areas in Akwa Ibom State: Ikot Ekpene, Uyo, Eket, Mkpat-Enin, Abak, Oruk Anam, Ika-Annang, Oron, Nigeria, Eastern Obolo. General Books LLC. ISBN 9781155785943.
  4. ^ "Gov Emmanuel Commits To Democracy Dividends In Ikot Ekpene • Channels Television". Channels Television. 19 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Hotels in Ikot Ekpene – Tours in Ikot Ekpene". Booknaija Travels. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Ikot Ekpene (Local Government Area, Nigeria) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  7. ^ Monitoring tour of preemptive management of cassava mosaic disease field activities in Nigeria. IITA. 8 September 2023. ISBN 9789781312281.
  8. ^ Okeke, Chukwuanugo S. (1 January 1980). Raffia Textiles of the Annang/Ibibio of Ikot-Ekpene, Nigeria.
  9. ^ "RaffiaCityHub || Home". raffiacityhub.com.ng. Archived from the original on 22 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.

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