Sokoto State

Sokoto State Jihar Sokoto (Hausa) 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤧𞤮𞥅𞤳𞤮𞥅𞤼𞤮𞥅 (Fula)
State
Flag Seal
Nicknames:  Seat of the Caliphate
Location of Sokoto State in Nigeria
Coordinates: 13°05′N 05°15′E / 13.083°N 5.250°E / 13.083; 5.250
Country	Nigeria
Date created	3 February 1976
Capital	Sokoto
Government
• Body	Government of Sokoto State
• Governor (List)	Ahmad Aliyu (APC)
• Deputy Governor	Idris Muhammad Gobir (APC)
• Legislature	Sokoto State House of Assembly
• Senators	E: Senator Ibrahim lamido (APC) N: Aliyu Wamakko (APC) S: Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (PDP)
• Representatives	List
Area
• Total	25,973 km2 (10,028 sq mi)
• Rank	16th of 36
Population  (2006 census)
• Total	3,702,676[1]
• Estimate  (2022)	6,391,000[2]
• Rank	11th of 36
GDP (PPP)
• Year	2021
• Total	$18.44 billion[3] 20th of 36
• Per capita	$3,174[3] 22nd of 36
Time zone	UTC+01 (WAT)
postal code	840001
ISO 3166 code	NG-SO
HDI (2021)	0.336[4] low · 36th of 37

Sokoto State (Hausa: Jihar Sokoto; Fula: 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤧𞤮𞥅𞤳𞤮𞥅𞤼𞤮𞥅, Leydi Sokoto) is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the extreme northwest of the country. Bounded by Republic of the Niger to the north and west for 363 km (226 miles), and the states of Zamfara to the east, and Kebbi to the south and west, partly across the Ka River. Its capital and largest city is the city of Sokoto. Sokoto is located near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2022 it has an estimated population of more than 6.3 million.

Being the seat of the former Sokoto Caliphate, the city is predominantly Muslim and an important seat of Islamic learning in Nigeria. The Sultan who heads the caliphate is effectively the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims.