FG–Kano collaboration driving visible gains in roads, health, environment, others — officials
Large-scale infrastructure, environmental remediation and social sector investments are delivering measurable benefits in Kano State, as officials point to the growing impact of collaboration with President Bola Tinubu’s administration. This
Large-scale infrastructure, environmental remediation and social sector investments are delivering measurable benefits in Kano State, as officials point to the growing impact of collaboration with President Bola Tinubu's administration.
This emerged on Saturday during the Kano leg of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors' North-West tour, where Federal and State officials showcased ongoing and completed projects across key sectors.
Leading the state’s position, the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, said that partnership with the Federal Government is translating into improved mobility, safety, and economic activity.
“This is a federal road that is very important to us in Kano. We are one of the major beneficiaries, and we are pleased with the progress of the rehabilitation and the fact that it is nearing completion,” Waiya said during an inspection of the Kano end of the Abuja–Kaduna–Kano highway.
He described the corridor as a strategic national link connecting the North-West to the Federal Capital Territory and southern Nigeria, noting that ongoing rehabilitation has already eased movement.
“Commuters can now travel more smoothly, even at night, particularly along the Dawakin Tofa axis into Kano,” he said.
Waiya added that the installation of solar streetlights has improved safety, while reducing accidents and shorter travel times are boosting trade.
He said the State is also working to protect infrastructure through youth engagement programmes and anti-vandalism campaigns, including plans to empower about 1,000 youths.
On the project timeline, a project engineer from the contracting firm, Infiouest International Construction Limited, said the 775-kilometre highway is scheduled for completion by November 2026.
Breaking down progress, he said the Zaria–Kano section spans 45 kilometres, divided into three segments.
“About six kilometres of the 13-kilometre dual carriageway has been completed up to Dabo Biyaro Bridge with street lighting installed, while 16.3 kilometres of the 17-kilometre stretch has also been completed, leaving less than one kilometre outstanding,” he said.
He added that the work is being carried out in phases to minimise disruption.
“Completed sections are opened to traffic while work continues on the opposite lanes,” he said.
At Tal’udu junction in Gwale Local Government Area, the Commissioner for Works, Engr. Marwan Ahmed Aminu highlighted another major intervention to ease congestion, describing the intersection as one of the most problematic in Kano before the ongoing upgrade.
“This was one of the most notorious junctions in Kano. With this arrangement, we are confident that over 80 per cent of the traffic congestion at this junction will be solved,” Aminu said.
He explained that the project features a three-layer design, including an underpass, an elevated flyover and a ground-level connection, allowing uninterrupted vehicular movement in multiple directions.
According to him, the project is nearing completion, with finishing works such as landscaping underway.
On environmental management, the State acknowledged the Federal support that has enabled large-scale intervention along the Jakara–Kwarin Gogau–Zungeru drainage corridor.
The Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Nura Mohammed Hashim, said the drainage system had long posed health and environmental risks.
“This drainage, spanning about 6.7 kilometres, has been an open channel filled with waste for decades, exposing communities to malaria and waterborne diseases,” he said.
Hashim disclosed that initial state efforts were limited by funding constraints, prompting engagement with the Federal Government.
“Mr President approved about N47 billion from ecological funds to enable full completion of this project,” he said.
Officials said the intervention is expected to significantly reduce flooding, improve sanitation and enhance living conditions for thousands of residents.
In the health sector, collaboration has also led to the revival and upgrading of critical facilities, as seen at the Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital, where State officials said the facility has been rehabilitated and now provides free healthcare services to children.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said the intervention reflects a shift towards accessible healthcare.
“All services here are free, including drugs and laboratory investigations. The objective is to ensure that no child is denied care,” he said.
He added that the 80-bed hospital has undergone two phases of renovation and will be recommissioned as part of the administration’s anniversary activities.
Similarly, at the Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Specialist Hospital, he said ongoing upgrades are modernising the 230-bed facility.
He noted that the hospital, established in the colonial era, is undergoing its most extensive renovation to date, aimed at improving service delivery across major specialities.
Education reforms were also highlighted, with Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Abubakar Makoda, pointing to increased investment and expanded access.
He said the state has consistently allocated between 29 and 31 per cent of its annual budgets to education.
“In 2026 alone, we have allocated N4.4 billion to sponsor over 153,000 students for NECO, JAMB and NABTEB examinations,” Makoda said.
He added that the government has recruited over 18,000 teachers, renovated schools across all local government areas and introduced support programmes including free uniforms and learning materials.
Makoda noted that efforts are also underway to address the challenge of out-of-school children through data-driven interventions and the integration of formal and Qur’anic education systems.
In agriculture, federally backed interventions are reviving long-abandoned infrastructure.
At the Kafin Chiri Dam, where a mammoth appreciative crowd received the entourage, Senator Suleiman Kawu Sumaila said rehabilitation works followed sustained appeals to the Federal Government.
“This facility was abandoned for nearly four decades. Today, under the Renewed Hope Agenda, it is being brought back to life,” he said.
He disclosed that about N95 billion has been approved for projects across Kano South, with N15 billion dedicated to the dam and irrigation infrastructure.
“This is what we call serious empowerment. There is no time in the history of Kano South that we have seen this level of intervention,” he said.
According to project engineers, the irrigation scheme will cover about 180 hectares of farmland, supported by a network of primary and secondary canals.
Officials said the broader programme includes the provision of 6,000 tube wells, rural bridges and transport support for farmers to improve productivity and market access.
The senator further disclosed that about 2,200 residents would benefit from empowerment programmes, including the distribution of roughly 500 tricycles and 1,800 motorcycles to support the transportation of farm produce to markets.
He added that the programme also covers the construction of nearly 20 rural bridges to improve access between communities, farms and markets, describing the combined projects as a comprehensive rural infrastructure effort in Kano South.
"This is what we call a serious empowerment. This is what the empowerment of our people is. There is no time in the history of Kano South District—nobody after Audu Bako, I said, nobody—has come to our help like President Bola Tinubu and his team," the lawmaker said.
Across all sites, officials attributed the scale of development to improved coordination between federal and state governments and increased fiscal capacity.
They said the ongoing projects are not only addressing infrastructure gaps but also improving livelihoods, creating jobs and strengthening economic activity across Kano State.
