Ogun State is a state in southwestern Nigeria. Created on February 3, 1976, from the former Western State. Ogun State borders Lagos State to the south, Oyo State and Osun State to the north, Ondo State, and the Republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is both Ogun State’s capital and most populous city; other important cities in the state include Ijebu Ode, the former royal capital of the Ijebu Kingdom, and Sagamu, Nigeria’s leading kola nut grower. Ogun state is covered predominantly by rain forest and has wooden savanna in the northwest. Ogun State had a total population of 3,751,140 residents as of 2006, making Ogun State the 16th most populated state in Nigeria In terms of landmass, Ogun State is the 24th largest State in Nigeria with a land area of 16,762 kilometers square.
Nicknamed the “Gateway to Nigeria”, the state is notable for having a high concentration of industrial estates and being a major manufacturing hub in Nigeria. Major factories in Ogun include the Dangote Cement factory in Ibese, Nestle, Lafarge Cement factory in Ewekoro, Memmcol in Orimerunmu, Coleman Cables in Sagamu and Arepo, Procter & Gamble in Agbara, amongst others.
Ogun State is predominantly Yoruba, with the Yoruba language serving as the lingua franca of the state. The dominant religions in Ogun State are Islam and Christianity although a certain amount of traditional religion is still practiced. Ogun State is noted for being the almost exclusive site of Ofada rice production. Ogun is also home to many icons in Nigeria in particular and Africa in general.