The history of the Ngwa people is deeply tied to the broader narrative of Igbo civilization. Oral traditions trace their origins back to migrations from the Nri and Arochukwu regions, with settlements forming around fertile lands and rivers.
Ngwa society was traditionally organized into village units governed by elders and community leaders known as Ndi Ichie. They practiced a form of democratic communalism in which decision-making was shared, and ancestral lineage was respected.
British colonial rule and the introduction of Christianity brought social change, but the Ngwa retained many core aspects of their indigenous identity. The community’s involvement in Nigeria’s civil war (1967–1970) also marked a turning point, especially for areas like Aba, which became commercial hubs post-war.