It was later elevated to municipal district assembly status on 1 March 2012.

The municipality was located in the eastern part of Northern Region and had Nanton as its capital town.

Savelugu-Nanton Municipal District had 149 communities, of which five were area councils, aside Savelugu being the capital.

The area councils were Nanton, Pong-Tamale, Diare, Moglaa and Tampion.

109,442 was the projected population as at March 2006 with its breakdown being 49% male and 51% female with a land area of 1790.7 km2.