Epilepsy prevalence varies widely across Nigeria, with rates ranging from 3.1 to 37.0/1000 population. There have been no studies on epilepsy prevalence and treatment gap in the Northeast Region of Nigeria. This study aimed to study epilepsy prevalence and the epilepsy treatment gap (ETG) in an urban and a rural community in Northeast Nigeria.

Cross-sectional, community-based survey.

Epilepsy screening of residents in two communities in Northeast Nigeria using a WHO screening tool and a validated study questionnaire from 1 March to 10 June 2022.

8599 community residents aged ≥2 years.

Prevalence of epilepsy, active epilepsy, ETG and associated factors.

We screened 8599 residents, of whom 88 had epilepsy. Crude epilepsy prevalence was 10.2 per 1000 and was three times higher in the rural than in the urban community (18.5 vs 6.4; ²=26.79, p2=0.087, p=0.768). Logistic regression analysis showed that the ETG was associated with a lack of counselling (OR 15.8, 95% CI 3.5 to 70.7, p

The prevalence of epilepsy in Bauchi State was within the range reported in Nigeria but three times higher in the rural than in the urban community. A high ETG was associated with poor counselling of people with epilepsy. Epilepsy counselling, health education and wider access to neurology services could reduce the burden of epilepsy in Northeast Nigeria.