In Nigeria, full information of population censuses are mainly presented at national and state levels, while
those at smaller units such as LGAs or wards are neglected. This makes analysis of population such as
population density to be restricted to only the national and state level, but the figures obtained from regional
densities may be misleading and may obscure more of reality than it reveals because the larger the political
unit for which crude or arithmetic population density is calculated, the less useful is the figure. ArcGIS 9.3
was used in this paper to map and create database for the population distribution and density for all the 112
LGAs in North-Eastern Nigeria. The study revealed that though, most parts of the region are sparsely
populated, but Borno and Yobe States are more affected than the other states in the region. Moreover, only
four LGAs are either moderately or densely distributed while the other ones are sparse. Finally, though the
2006 census revealed that the North-East population density is sparse with 70 persons per square kilometres,
but this paper revealed that exactly half (56) out of the 112 LGAs in the region have their densities above 70
persons per square kilometres, which substantiate the fact that densities derived from smaller units are more
realistic. It was recommended that the result of subsequent censuses should also be presented in the smallest
possible units such as wards and Enumeration Area to enhance better analysis.