Awka is the capital city of Anambra State in southeastern Nigeria. It was officially declared the state capital on August 21, 1991, following the bifurcation of the original Anambra State into two separate entities: Anambra and Enugu states. While Enugu remained the capital of its respective state, Awka became the seat of government for the newly formed Anambra State.
The city is situated in the densely populated Igbo heartland of South-East Nigeria, located approximately 199.1 kilometres (123.7 mi) by road directly north of Port Harcourt. According to the 2006 Nigerian census, the city had an estimated population of 301,657, while the combined populations of the Awka South and Awka North Local Government Areas were estimated at 430,200 in 2022.