Zaria

General Information

The city of Zaria, situated in the centre of northern Nigeria, was established as the seat of the throne of Zazzau Emirate more than 700 years ago, and is currently the emirate’s administrative headquarters.

Today, Zaria is home to headquarters of British-American Tobacco Company, Electric Meter Company of Nigeria (EMCON), Comrades Cycles, Zaria Industries Limited (a tarpaulin manufacturing company) and Sunseed Industries, among many others.

The Hausa/Fulani are the dominant groups in the city and the state, and the Hausa language serves as the lingua franca. Most of the city’s inhabitants are Muslim, but close to 30 percent of the population are Christian.

Maternal Health Indicators

Maternal Mortality Ratio:

• 800/100,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate:

• 115/1,000 live births

HIV Prevalence:

• 6%

In 2008 (NDHS), the maternal mortality ratio was 800/100,000 live births (about 1 death for every 12 pregnant women); attendance at ANC was 30%; delivery by skilled attendants was 10%.

In 2003, infant mortality rates (IMR) stood at 115 per 1000 live births. Leading causes of ill health and death among children are malaria, diarrhoeal diseases, and respiratory tract infections.

Malaria is associated with 70% of illnesses in pregnancy.  The city is also situated in an epidemic-prone belt of cerebro-spinal meningitis, which has a very high case fatality rate.  HIV/AIDS prevalence rate is 6% in the State.

Family Planning Use

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate

• 6%

Unmet Need for Family Planning

• 22%

FP services are available in most PHCs.  Until recently, there was no dedicated budget line for FP services anywhere in the State. In 2011, the Ministry of Local Government requested all 23 LGAs to create a budget-line for FP. For the 2013 budget, N1,000,000 was allocated for FP service provision.

Infrastructure

Educational Institution

The first university to be established in the northern part of Nigeria and one of Nigeria’s top educational institutions, Ahmadu Bello University, is located in Zaria. The Nigerian Air Force Training Command, Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NITT), Federal College of Education, Nuhu Bamalu Polytechnic, Nigerian Military School, National Animal Production and Research Institute (NAPRI), Leather Research Institute and the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT) are all located in Zaria. Shehu Idris College of Health Technology; the popular Barewa College; and several other secondary and primary schools, both privately owned and public schools serve the educational needs of the city.

Primary Health Facilities

There are about 20 primary health facilities in the Zaria City. There are about 15 wards in the City and each ward has at least one functional health facility.

Private Health Facilities

Zaria city has a high density of private medical facilities. There are over 20 private health facilities in the LGA, most of which are located in the two LGAs of Zaria and Sabon Gari.

Referral Health Facilities (Tertiary & Secondary)

There are 4 State Owned Secondary facilities, and two Federal Government University Teaching Hospitals under Ahmadu Bello University. Some of the Secondary facilities in the project sites are Gambo Sawaba General Hospital (Zaria Local Government), Giwa General Hospital (Giwa Local Government), Miba General Hospital (Sabon Gari Local Government), Kudan General Hospital (Kudan Local Government).

Demographic Information

Total Population

1,129,688  (2006 Census of Zaria City; includes Zaria, Sabon Gari, Giwa and Kudan)

Occupational Status of the Community

Regular employment for most inhabitants of the city include small-scale enterprises, services industries, trading and other commercial activities. The working population is a mix of both skilled and unskilled workers, with a significantly large percentage of literate blue-collar workers.