Phase 1In preparation
Forest-edge community compacts
Consultation with communities bordering the Oban and Okwangwo divisions on protection and benefit sharing.
The People's Paradise
Cross River State
Cross River holds the largest surviving block of tropical rainforest in Nigeria and anchors the region's biodiversity and eco-tourism case. Calabar was a major historic port and remains a cultural centre, while the northern uplands around Obudu support agriculture and highland tourism.
State at a glance
Cross River within the Niger Delta
This reference map shows the state's local government areas. Select any fact below for a focused view of the state profile.
Capital
Calabar
Created
27 May 1967
Origin
Created as South-Eastern State; renamed Cross River in 1976
Local government areas
18
Land area
20,156 km²
Population (2006 census)
2,892,988
Peoples
Efik · Ejagham · Bekwarra · Yakurr · Boki · Ogoja peoples
Environmental picture
- Rainforest loss from logging, plantation expansion and shifting agriculture
- Habitat pressure on the Cross River gorilla, one of the world's most endangered primates
- Coastal and estuarine pollution around the Calabar and Cross River channels
- Strong potential for forest carbon and REDD+ style conservation finance
Landmarks and assets
- Cross River National Park (Oban and Okwangwo divisions)
- Obudu Mountain Resort on the Obudu Plateau
- Calabar Carnival and the Calabar Marina and old port
- Agbokim and Kwa Falls
Project updates
What is moving in Cross River
Phase 1Planned
Calabar waterfront clean-up design
Scoping of estuary waste capture and shoreline restoration around the Calabar channel.
Phase 2Planned
Conservation finance readiness
Preparation of forest carbon documentation to attract long-term conservation funding.
Updates describe the planned campaign pipeline in this state. Delivery figures are published only after field verification.
Restoration initiatives
Programmes designed for Cross River
Biodiversity
Community forest guards
Paid local ranger roles protecting rainforest blocks and Cross River gorilla habitat.
Green jobs
Eco-tourism livelihoods
Guiding, hospitality and craft enterprise around Obudu and the national park.
Clean water
Catchment protection
Riverbank replanting to safeguard downstream water quality for the wider Delta.
Restoration priorities in Cross River
01
Rainforest protection and community forest-guard programmes
02
Eco-tourism and conservation livelihoods for forest-edge communities
03
Catchment protection for downstream water quality
Ambassadors in Cross River
Represent this state in the campaign.
Mobilise your community, report field conditions and help deliver the Cross River programme pipeline.
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Fund restoration work in Cross River.
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Regional operations map
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StateProgrammePartner pathwayPipeline indicator
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The People's Paradise
Cross River State
Capital Calabar · 18 LGAs · 20,156 km²
Phase 1
In preparationForest-edge community compacts
Consultation with communities bordering the Oban and Okwangwo divisions on protection and benefit sharing.
Phase 1
PlannedCalabar waterfront clean-up design
Scoping of estuary waste capture and shoreline restoration around the Calabar channel.
Regional programme: Safe Water Access · Needs assessment
Sources: Nigeria's 2006 national population census, official state creation records, the 2011 UNEP Environmental Assessment of Ogoniland, and state material reproduced from Niger Delta Organisation SA. Figures are historical official records; current estimates are higher, and area totals may vary by public source.