Bauchi State was created on 3rd February 1976 out of the defunct North East State by the Murtala Ramat Muhammad administration along with six others in the country, thus bringing the total number of states at the time to 19 in Nigeria. The six states created along with bauchi were Gongola, Niger, Benue, Ogun, Imo and Ondo. The North Eastern Region at the time comprised of Bauchi, Borno, and Gongola.

Bauchi State remained intact in its 1976 boundaries, surviving two subsequent state creation exercises of 1987 and 1991.

Until its creation, Bauchi was a large Provinve comprising Bauchi, Gombe and Katagum Divisions that constituted its geo-political units.

On its creation in 1976, Bauchi had 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs) namely Bauchi, Gombe, Katagum, Ningi, Jama’are, Dass, Toro, Daraza, Gamawa, Alkaleri, Shira, akko, Dukku, Tafawa Balewa, Tongale Waja, and Balanga. However, in October 1996, Gombe State was carved out of the the then Bauchi State by the Sani Abacha administration. Eigbt Local Government Areas – Akko, Balanga, Billiri, Dukku, Gombe, Kaltungo, Nafada and Yamaitu Deba formed the new Gombe State. The remaining Local Government Areas of Alkaleri, Bauchi, Darazo, Dass, Ganjuwa, Gamawa, Itas/Gadau, Jama’are, katagun, Misau, Ningi, Shira, Tafawa Balewa, Toro and Zaki formed the new Bauchi State.

It also had six Emirates and six Chiefdoms. The emirates initially were Bauchi, Gombe, Katagum, Misau, Jama’are and Ningi while the chiefdoms were Kaltungo, Billiri, Dass, Cham, Waja Dadiye. But when Gombe Division was excised in 1996 to become a State, Dass Chiefdom was elevated to the status of an emirate.

The new Bauchi State currently has 20 Local Governments. These are Alkaleri, Bauchi, Darazo, Dass, Ganjuwa, Itas/Gadau, Jama’are, Katagum, Misau, Ningi, Tafawa Balewa, Toro, Zaki, Bogoro, Warji, Dambam, Kirfi, Giade, Gamawa, and Shira.