About

Cross River State is in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria, named after the Cross River. It is bordered by Benue State to the north, Ebonyi and Abia to the west, Akwa Ibom to the south-west, and Cameroon along its eastern boundary. Formed in 1967 from the eastern part of the old Eastern Region (initially as South-Eastern State and renamed in 1976), it has Calabar as its capital; the area that is now Akwa Ibom remained part of the state until 1987. Cross River has positioned itself as a leading destination for tourism and services, complemented by agriculture and emerging industry. Opportunities span tourism and hospitality (Obudu Mountain Resort, the Calabar Carnival and Tinapa), oil palm, cocoa, rubber, agro-processing and free-trade-zone activity. Public finance priorities focus on economic diversification, tourism-led growth, infrastructure and expanding internally generated revenue.