Highest Major Cities in Nigeria
Cities in Nigeria with more than 15,000 inhabitants, ranked by elevation above sea level (GeoNames digital elevation model).
1Gembu19,881 people · Taraba State
1,599 m
2Bukuru15,540 people · Plateau State
1,277 m
3Pankshin31,516 people · Plateau State
1,235 m
4Jos1,040,000 people · Plateau State
1,186 m
5Kagoro77,008 people · Kaduna State
816 m
6Biu95,005 people · Borno State
762 m
7Lere93,290 people · Kaduna State
753 m
8Kafanchan79,522 people · Kaduna State
733 m
9Kachia30,893 people · Kaduna State
718 m
10Funtua136,811 people · Katsina State
709 m
11Dutsen Wai22,062 people · Kaduna State
694 m
12Anchau15,538 people · Kaduna State
691 m
13Soba15,715 people · Kaduna State
683 m
14Sofo-Birnin-Gwari22,380 people · Kaduna State
657 m
15Zaria980,000 people · Kaduna State
644 m
16Kaduna1,850,000 people · Kaduna State
626 m
17Bauchi693,700 people · Bauchi
623 m
18Malumfashi70,709 people · Katsina State
618 m
19Gombi19,616 people · Adamawa
597 m
20Ipoti82,113 people · Ekiti State
593 m
21Mubi225,705 people · Adamawa
582 m
22Gwarzo16,303 people · Kano State
581 m
23Igede-Ekiti87,282 people · Ekiti State
576 m
24Efon-Alaaye279,319 people · Ekiti State
556 m
25Biliri15,976 people · Gombe State
549 m
26Oke Ila35,000 people · Ekiti State
540 m
27Ode75,463 people · Ondo State
529 m
28Rano17,972 people · Kano State
526 m
29Katsina670,000 people · Katsina State
519 m
30Oke Mesi79,563 people · Osun State
514 m
31Darazo18,415 people · Bauchi
507 m
32Ila Orangun179,192 people · Osun State
493 m
33Ijero-Ekiti167,632 people · Ekiti State
491 m
34Pindiga106,322 people · Gombe State
490 m
35Daura78,277 people · Yobe State
484 m
36Ganye15,178 people · Adamawa
484 m
37Kano4,910,000 people · Kano State
484 m
38Otan Ayegbaju37,783 people · Osun State
484 m
39Abuja2,690,000 people · FCT
476 m
40Daura (Katsina State)25,289 people · Katsina State
475 m
41Dukku16,961 people · Gombe State
474 m
42Saki178,677 people · Oyo State
472 m
43Garko21,141 people · Gombe State
470 m
44Gombe560,000 people · Gombe State
460 m
45Aramoko-Ekiti74,491 people · Ekiti State
458 m
46Akwanga15,985 people · Nasarawa State
454 m
47Gwaram15,806 people · Jigawa State
452 m
48Gusau226,857 people · Zamfara State
451 m
49Birnin Kudu26,565 people · Jigawa State
450 m
50Dutse17,129 people · Jigawa State
444 m
Highlights
Within Nigeria, Gembu ranks first in 2026 with 1,599 m, followed by Bukuru (1,277 m) and Pankshin (1,235 m).
Across 50 entries, values run from 1,599 m (Gembu) to 444 m (Dutse), with a median of 545 m.
Source: GeoNames, cities with more than 15,000 inhabitants, 2026. Unit: metres.
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