Kogi is a state in the central region (Middle-Belt) of Nigeria. It is popularly called the Confluence State because of the confluence of River Niger and River Benue at its capital, Lokoja, which is the first administrative capital of modern-day Nigeria.
The main ethnic groups are Igala, Ebira, and Okun.
Kogi state was created in 1991 from parts of Kwara State and Benue State. The state as presently constituted, comprises the people of the Kabba Province of Northern Nigeria. One of the first Qadi in the Kogi State was Faruk Imam.
There are three main ethnic groups and languages in Kogi: Igala, Ebira, and Okun (a Yoruba Group) with other such as Bassa-Nge, a people of Nupe extraction in Lokoja and Bassa Local Government Area, Bassa-Komo of Bassa Local Government Area, Gwari, Kakanda, Oworo people(A Yoruba Group), Ogori, Magongo, Idoma and the pure NUPE people of Eggan community under Lokoja Local Government.
The name Nigeria, was coined in Lokoja by Flora Shaw, the future wife of Baron Lugard, a British colonial administrator, while gazing out at the river Niger.
Agriculture is the main part of the state economy with fishing in the riverine areas like Lokoja, Idah, Baji,etc, and the state also has coal, petroleum, steel and other mineral industries.