Introduction: Extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) are increasingly becoming an important cause of multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria throughout the world. The prevalence and characteristics of ESBL mediated resistance in Escherichia coli remains unknown for most of our hospitals. Objectives: The main objective of this study was to determine the frequency, distribution and plasmid associated ESBL enzymes in clinical isolates of Escherischia coli and also to assess patterns of susceptibilities to different antimicrobial agents in Jos, North Central, Nigeria. Methodology: The study was a cross-sectional study conducted in the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), a tertiary care hospital in Jos, North Central, Nigeria. Clinical isolates of E. coli from 220 patients were evaluated. These isolates were processed and analyzed by standard methods in the microbiology laboratory of JUTH. Plasmid profile analysis was carried out at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos. The antibiotic susceptibility testing of the isolates was done by the modified Kirby Bauer's disc diffusion method and ESBL production determined by Double Disk Synergy Test (DDST). A structured questionnaire was used to collect clinical and demographic data.