Headlines
Why Kano revenue drops in two years
Nasiru Yusuf
The Director Personal Income at Kano Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), Malam Muhammad Aminu Abdullahi Bichi has attributed the drop in the Internally Generated Revenue in the state from 2020 to the year 2021 to COVID-19 pandemic.
KANO FOCUS reports that the director revealed this during a Tax Summit – Citizens Session organised by PERL FCDO in collaboration with Tax Justice and Governance Platform held in Kano metropolis.
He recalled that the pandemic has affected not only the country, but global economy.
The director explained that this necessitated the state government to introduce Covid-19 tax relief to cushion the effect of the pandemic.
According to him, many taxes were reduced to as low as 50 per cent to support businesses to recover from the impact of the disease.
Participants
“Last year, we experienced COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 has affected the economy not even in Kano State, but globally.
“This led to Covid-19 tax relief where certain percentage of tax was reduced.
“Some were reduced to 50 per cent and some were reduced to 25 per cent.
“I believe these are some of the factors that led to drop of collection. But with economic recovery from Covid-19, believe things will definitely improve,” Malam Bichi said.
Participants
The director expressed optimism that with the introduction of Treasury Single Account, the state revenue would bounce back to its former status.
“There is hope bearing in mind the implementation of Treasury Single Account where all authorised tax collected by MDAs will be sent to single account,” he said.
The patron of Danbatta Traders Association Lawan Dangaji Danbatta appealed to Kano state government to provide basic infrastructure in markets and business places to encourage traders to pay their promptly.
Alhaji Lawan Dangaji Danbatta
In his remarks, the state team leader Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL), Isa Surajo, said the meeting was to bring citizens and all stakeholders in tax-related matters under one roof to brainstorm and forge a way forward.
Malam Isa Surajo
“Tax provides resources for government to provide development. Once the government is struggling to get money that will be used to improve the lives of the citizens, it becomes so challenging.
“One of the strategies, we believe is to get those who pay the tax to get involved on how best these resources could be raised, so that social services and other development required by the citizens would be provided by the government.
“Of recent, we have noticed how budget deficit has been affecting the development of Kano State and Nigeria.
“But by getting citizens to participate to talk about the tax and how best to raise the tax for the government, we will get enough money to get children to school and make sure basic healthcare delivery services are provided.
“This is because it is only when you have educated and healthy citizens, the development is ensured,” Malam Surajo said.
Presenting a paper entitled: ‘Challenges and Opportunities of IGR in Kano State: Preliminary Findings,’ Abdulsalam Muhammad Kani, identified poor capacity of tax collectors and high cost of tax collection as major challenges of tax collection in the state.
Other challenges identified, according to Kani, include non punishment or sanction of tax defaulters, inadequate oversight by the legislature on tax issues and failure to create more departments in the Kano Inland Revenue Service (KIRS).
The first Kano tax summit is an avenue to broaden the discourse on taxation and to explore issues such as tax policies and practices, emerging development in the tax system and implication for resourcing public service delivery and development.
The Adolescent Girls Initiative
for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project, Kano, Sunday commenced the assessment of 100 girls with cognitive and development disabilities in Government Grls Secondary School Zawaciki, Kumbotso local gernment area.
The move was to appropriately place the students identified into the pilot 35 inclusive education schools under AGILE Project.
Ibrahim said the Social Support Officer (SSO) in the AGILE Project Kano Malam Yakubu Muhammad, while addressing the students and their teachers, said the assessment was to provide school material support including uniforms, notebooks, stationery, backpacks, and any specialized learning aids tailored to individual needs.
He said at the end of the assessment AGILE Project will develop Individualized Support Plans (ISPs) outlining necessary accommodations, assistive devices and instructional strategies.
Also speaking the lead consultant Dr Samira Ali said they have so far identified students with cognitive and physical disabilities among the students assessed.
Some of the disabilities identified according to her include cerebral palsy, austism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, behavior maladjustment and speech defect.
Also commenting the principal of Government Girls Secondary School Panshekara who doubles as All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) Hauwa Hussain commended AGILE for this intervention which she said will go a long way in ensuring inclusive education.
The assessment was conducted under Environmental and Social Safeguard Unit of AGILE Project, Kano.
The AGILE Project is a World Bank-assisted initiative implemented through Federal and State Ministries of Education, aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Executive Council, chaired by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, has approved a comprehensive package of developmental projects and interventions valued at over ₦69 billion, targeting critical sectors including infrastructure, education, healthcare, energy, and humanitarian support.
KANO FOCUS reports that this was contained in a statement issued by the Governor’s Spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Thursday.
During its 29th meeting held on Wednesday, July 9th 2025, the Council granted landmark approvals aimed at improving service delivery and raising the living standard of citizens.
Among the biggest investments is the expansion of Katsina Road, covering the stretch from Baban Gwari Roundabout to Mil Tara, which includes the construction of five reinforced concrete pedestrian bridges at a cost of ₦24.7 billion.
Additionally, the Council approved the rehabilitation and asphalt overlay of RMK Flyover, IBB Road, Kofar Mazugal Junction, and Katsina Road with a budget of ₦7.8 billion, and the construction of 10 new concrete pedestrian bridges at strategic locations, valued at ₦3.8 billion.
In the education sector, approvals include the renovation of 13 closed boarding schools earlier shut down by the previous administration at ₦3 billion.
The Council also approved general renovation of dilapidated structures in Government Technical College Dambatta, Government Technical College Ungogo, Government Girls Secondary School Balan Tsanyawa, and Government Secondary School Guringawa, totaling over ₦1.2 billion.
Other approvals include the establishment of a new primary school in Gishiri-Wuya community, Warawa LGA, at ₦190 million, renovation of the French and Chinese Bilingual Colleges in Kwankwaso at ₦158 million and ₦349 million, respectively, the conduct of 2025 internal examinations (BECE/BEICE & SSQE/SAISQE) at ₦300 million, and the settlement of outstanding boarding school feeding liabilities for three weeks at ₦718 million.
The health sector interventions approved by the Council include counterpart funding of ₦180 million for the Free Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health programme, ₦240 million for the procurement of a brand-new Toyota Coaster bus for the School of Health Technology, Bebeji, ₦107 million for operational needs of the Kano Ultra-Modern Specialist Hospital (KUSH), and ₦344 million as counterpart funding for routine immunization for the second quarter of 2025.
The Governor, during the session, reiterated his administration’s resolve to turn Kano into a hub of modern infrastructure, inclusive development, and educational excellence.
The Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project has increased the annual Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) from N20,000 to N60,000 per beneficiary as part of renewed efforts to enhance girls’ education in Kano State.
KANO FOCUS reports that this was revealed during a sensitization campaign on the CCT program held in Gwarmai town, Bebeji Local Government Area.
Speaking at the event, the National CCT Coordinator of the AGILE project, Dr. Kubrah Muhammad, emphasised the importance of utilising the funds effectively to support and improve girls’ access to quality education.
Dr. Kubrah Muhammad,
Dr Muhammad urged parents, students, and other stakeholders to spread the message and ensure the sensitisation efforts are cascaded across communities for wider impact.
Also speaking, the Kano State AGILE CCT Component Lead, Malam Naziru Surajo, disclosed that a total of 45,850 students have so far been enrolled under the initiative in the state.
He noted that Bebeji LGA is one of the 19 participating local governments in Kano, with 4,984 girls currently benefiting from the program.
Malam Surajo highlighted that since the introduction of the CCT, girls’ school enrollment has seen significant improvement, rising by 31% overall, with 35% at the junior secondary level and 27% at the senior secondary level.
Malam Naziru Surajo
He further explained that the cash transfer comes with key conditions, including maintaining a minimum of 70% school attendance, which must be sustained for continued eligibility.
The District Head of Bebeji, who doubles as ‘Yan Dakan Kano, Alhaji Sarki Yusuf Bayero, emphasized the need for men to fulfill their responsibilities effectively, particularly in the context of supporting girls’ education.
He reiterated that the funds are meant for the students’ educational welfare, but should be managed wisely by parents.
Alhaji Sarki Yusuf Bayero (Yan Dakan Kano)
He cautioned that the CCT should not become a source of conflict within families, stressing that either parent can responsibly utilize the funds, provided they are used for the intended purpose of promoting education
“The most important thing is for parents to inculcate good moral values on their children to make them useful to society.”
Some parents of beneficiaries, Malam Abdu Gwarmai and Haulatu Musa, asked questions related to the CCT.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The AGILE Project is a World Bank-assisted initiative implemented through Federal and State Ministries of Education, aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim ANIPR,
Communication Officer,
AGILE Project, Kano.
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