Fungal and bacterial flora of cowpea seeds in northern Nigeria were studied in agar plates and in plates containing moistened filter paper. Seeds were surface-sterilised with either sodium hypochlorite solution or mercuric chloride solution. About 90 fungal species, the vast majority of which were non-pathogens, were detected on seeds obtained from markets and from fields affected by various diseases. Cowpea pathogens detected on seeds from markets includedAscochytasp.,Colletotrichum lindemuthianum. C. truncatum, Rhizoctonia solani (Thanatephorus cucumeris), Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, Septoria vignaeandCorticium rolfsii. Except forAscochytasp.,C. lindemuthianumandFusarium oxysporum, all the above fungi were isolated from seeds from field plots which also yielded three other pathogens, namelyColletotrichum capsici, Cercospora canescensandXanthomonas vignicola. Seed-plant transmission was established for all pathogens, exceptC. canescens, detected on seeds from the field plots.