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Warri
City
Nickname(s): Waffi, Waff Town
Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 5°31′N 5°45′E / 5.517°N 5.750°E / 5.517; 5.750
Country	Nigeria
State	Delta State
Local Government	Warri North LGA, Warri South LGA, Warri South West LGA
Government
• Executive Governor	Ifeanyi Okowa
Population
• Total	3 Million+
• Languages	Pidgin English Itsekiri Urhobo and Ijaw
• Religions	95% Christianity 3% Traditional African religions 2% Islam
Climate	Am
Ethnicities	Itsekiri, Urhobo, Ijaw

The city of Warri is an oil hub within South-South Nigeria and houses an annex of the Delta State Government House. It served as the colonial capital of the then Warri Province.

It shares boundaries with Sapele, Uvwie, and Udu. Osubi which is in Okpe L.G.A and houses an airport that serves the city.

The name "Warri Province" was once applicable to the part of an area now called Delta State under the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. Its boundary in the Northeast was Sapele with Forçados River in the South-east and Jameson Creek in the South-west which later changed to Delta Province.

Warri city is one of the major hubs of petroleum activities and businesses in southern Nigeria. It is a commercial capital city of Delta State, with a population of over 311,970 people according to the 2006 national population census figures.

The city is originally inhabited and occupied by the Itsekiri, Urhobo and Ijaw people.

Its inhabitants are predominantly Christians of different denominations, and some practice a mixture of African traditional religions like most of Southern Nigeria. The city is known nationwide for its unique Pidgin English.

History

The city of Warri or Iwerre has existed since 1480.

The current Olu of Warri is Ogiame Atuwatse III, who was crowned on 21 August 2021. It was once a provincial capital to British rule. The Lagos and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria were formally united as Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria on 28 February 1906 and Walter Egerton was appointed as the Governor of new Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, holding office until 1912. In this new region called Southern Nigeria, the old Lagos Colony became the Western Province, and the former Southern Nigerian Protectorate was split into a Central Province with capital at Warri and an Eastern Province with capital at Calabar.

Warri sits on the bank of River Warri which joined River Forcados and River Escravos through Jones Creek in the lower Niger Delta Region. The city has a modern seaport which serves as the cargo transit point between the Niger River and the Atlantic Ocean for import and export. The city's history dates back to the 15th century when it was visited by Portuguese missionaries. Subsequently, it served as the base for Portuguese and Dutch slave traders. Warri became a more important port city during the late 19th century, when it became a centre for the palm oil trade and other major items such as rubber, palm products, cocoa, groundnuts, hides, and skins.

Warri was then established as a provincial headquarters by the British in the early 20th century. There has been tremendous growth in population; it has grown from being a rural area to an urban area.

Demographics

Warri is regarded as a modern metropolitan area with expanded infrastructural development in other local government areas such as Uvwie, Udu, and Okpe in recent years, with various road networks linking these places into one. Each of these areas has its own administrative structure.

The major people in Warri city are the Urhobo, Itsekiri and Ijaw. However, due to its urban status, there is a large influx of people from all over the country, most notably the Igbos.

Climate

The region experiences moderate rainfall and moderate humidity for the most part of the year. The climate is monsoonal and is marked by two distinct seasons: the dry season and the rainy season. The dry season lasts from about November to April and is significantly marked by the cool "harmattan" dusty haze from the north-east winds. The rainy season spans May to October with a brief dry spell in August, but it frequently rains even in the dry season. The area is characterized by a tropical monsoon climate with a mean annual temperature of 32.8 °C (91.0 °F) and an annual rainfall amount of 2,770 mm (109 in). There are high temperatures of 28 °C (82 °F) and 32 °C (90 °F). The surrounding region is predominantly rainforest, tending to swamplands in some areas. The vegetation is rich in timber trees, palm trees, as well as fruit trees.

Economy and infrastructure

There is the Warri Refinery and Petrochemicals located at Ekpan, with the majority of international and local oil companies operating in Nigeria having their operational offices close by. One of the nation's major seaports is sited within Ugbuwangue, Warri.

Due to conflict in the late 90s, especially in 1999, most oil companies fled the town and nearby regions.

Security

Warri is garrisoned by the Amphibious Infantry battalion (Effurun Army Base) located in Effurun, a to Warri and is administratively under the Brigade HQ in Port Harcourt.

The Nigerian Navy operates from its facilities in Warri.

The 61 Nigerian Air force Detachment also operates from its facilities in Jeddo, close to Warri.

Sports

Warri has an international stadium with a capacity of 30,000 which is the home of Warri Wolves football club, which has hosted two editions of the African Women Football Championship in 2002 and 2006 respectively and was in contention as one of the venues to be used for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup in Nigeria in 2009. The stadium was used to host the African Youth Athletics Championship (AYAC) in 2013.

Warri Wolves, a professional football team based in Warri plays in the Nigeria National League. Their prominent former players include Best Ogedegbe, Wilson Oruma, Efe Ambrose, Victor Ikpeba and Ekigho Ehiosun.

Manufacturing and raw materials

The economic base of the city lies in the presence of a refinery and other oil and gas companies. Also, there is the steel company, Delta Steel Company, which is located in Ovwian–Aladja area of Udu. The Beta Glass Plant is located nearby, outside the town of Ughelli, where the land is rich in silica and silicates, raw materials required for the manufacture of glass, ceramics and cement. The Transcorp Power Distribution, one of Nigeria's power generating stations, is also located at Ughelli, which is just 15 minutes away by car.

Transport

Rail

In 1991, construction started on a standard gauge railway from the steel mills at Ajaokuta to the port of Warri, about 275 km away. By 2006, the standard gauge lines had reached 329 km in length, but the final 27 km Warri section is still incomplete. In 2010, work recommenced to complete that final section to Warri. The rail line was officially inaugurated in September 2020.

Road

Major road networks within Warri Metropolis has been improved upon by the state government to improve the image of the city. Transportation within the city is mainly by bus and tricycle. The federal government has completed the Warri-Benin Road road expansion project and major parts of the East-West Road Project which will connect Warri-Uyo.

Air

There are several helipads in oil company yards, like shell yard Ogunu and in Escavos and Focados.

Sea

Movement of goods by sea is through the Nigerian Ports Authority (Delta Ports) at which is mainly for export and import of goods by major companies. Also located on the main Warri riverside are markets and jetties used by local traders, which act as a transit point for local transport and trade. There are local boats that are used for moving from one location to another.

Educational institutions

Primary schools

Primary schools in Warri are:

• Ogiame Primary School, Warri
• Ikengbuwa Primary School, Warri
• Cavagina Primary School, Warri
• Twin Fountain Group of Schools
• HillTop
• International Unity School (IUS)
• NNPC Staff Primary School
• SNAPS
• Alderstown School for the Deaf
• Kids Compute Academy
• Edjeba Estate School, Warri
• Lakeland School Ogunu, Warri

Secondary schools

Secondary schools are also in numbers in the city of Warri. These include:

• Yonwuren Secondary School, Warri
• College of Education Demonstration Secondary School, Warri
• Twin Fountain Group of Schools
• Cambridge International School
• Delta Careers College
• Federal Government College
• Hussey College, Warri
• Nana College, Warri
• Dom Domingos College, Warri
• Delta Secondary School, Warri
• Dore Numa College, Warri
• Essi College, Warri
• Uwangue College, Warri
• Urhobo College, Effurun
• Classical International Schools
• Ugborikoko Secondary School
• Army Day Secondary School, Effurun
• College of Commerce Warri
• DSC Technical High School, Ovwian-Aladja
• Our Lady's High School, Effurun
• Mega Stars Christian School, Udu
• Eagles Height School, Ajamhimogha
• Ogbe Secondary School, Effurun
• Ochuks Academy, Adjomo Avenue, Warri

Higher institutions

There are various institutions of higher learning sited within the Warri Metropolis:

• College of Education at Edjeba, Warri
• The Delta State Nursing School, Ogunu, Warri
• Eagle Heights University, Omadino, Warri
• Nigeria Maritime University Okerenkoko, Warri
• Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
• Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun

Tourism

There are various tourist sites to visit while in Warri:

• Nana Living History Museum
• Red Mangrove swamp
• Falcorp Mangrove Park / Mini Zoo, Ijala, Behind Warri Refinery.
• Warri Township Stadium
• Shell club, Ogunu

Religion

This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (February 2022)

Notable residents

Notable Nigerian ministers from Warri include Ayo Oritsejafor and Jeremiah Omoto Fufeyin.

• Charity Ogbenyealu Adule, footballer
• Nedum Onuoha, footballer
• Demas Akpore (1928–1993), first elected Deputy Governor of Bendel State (1979–1983)
• Erigga, musician
• Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, former CAN President

See also

• Abraka
• Asaba, Delta
• Agbassa
• Delta State
• Effurun
• Eku, Delta
• Ughelli
• Railway stations in Nigeria

References

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11. Ekeh, Peter Palmer (2005). Warri City and British Colonial Rule in Western Niger Delta. Urhobo Historical Society. p. 31. ISBN 978-064-924-7.
12. "Niger Delta moving from agitation to rebellion?". The New Humanitarian (in French). 8 July 2003. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
13. "Climate: Warri". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
14. Warri Wolves F.C.
15. Warri Township Stadium
16. IV, Editorial (5 January 2022). "NNL: Warri Wolves return from break Monday". Blueprint Newspapers Limited. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
17. "How Nigerian government, Indians wreck multi-billion dollar Delta Steel Company, rip off host communities and tax payers". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
18. "20 years after collapse, steel company resumes operations". Vanguard (Nigeria). 5 March 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
19. "Contact Us – College of Education, Warri". Retrieved 25 June 2021.
20. "Delta State Schools of Nursing Admission Form 2020/2021". www.myschoolgist.com. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
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22. "Homepage". NMU. 11 June 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
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27. "Shell Ogunu Golf Club | All Square Golf". www.allsquaregolf.com. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
28. "...Fufeyin foresees manipulation of 2019 polls". Vanguard News. 6 January 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
29. Nigeria, Media (11 June 2018). "Biography Of Charity Ogbenyealu Adule". Media Nigeria. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
30. The PFA footballers' who's who 2010-11. Barry J. Hugman. Edinburgh: Mainstream. 2010. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0. OCLC 619938382.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
31. "PressReader.com - Your favorite newspapers and magazines". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
32. "Wedding Bells: Rapper Erigga Is Getting Married To His Long Time Girlfriend". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
33. "Check out former CAN president's security detail [VIDEO]". Pulse Nigeria. 16 November 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2021.

• http://ngr.ng/understanding-the-warri-itsekiri-name-pattern/

5°31′N 5°45′E / 5.517°N 5.750°E / 5.517; 5.750

• Warri
• Local Government Areas in Delta State
• Populated places in Delta State
• Port cities and towns in Nigeria
• Cities in Delta State
• Cities in Nigeria