Headlines
First NCC Digital Park Set for Completion January 2023

Nasiru Yusuf
Ahead of the auspicious commissioning of the Digital Industrial Park (DIP) project in Kano State, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, has, once again, paid an inspection visit to the site of the ongoing construction of the project in Kano State where he got an unequivocal commitment from the contractors that the project will be completed by January 2023.

KANO FOCUS reports that the Friday’s inspection call by the NCC’s boss was part of the routine visits to ensure close monitoring and effective supervision of important projects that will have great impacts on the country’s socio-economic development.
During the visit, the EVC, who was accompanied by the NCC’s Head of Projects, Philip Eretan, and the EVC’s Chief of Staff, Malam Hafiz Shehu, among others, with the Special Adviser to the Kano State Governor, Prof. Yusuf Alhassan, in attendance, emphasized the need for the contractors to expedite efforts in completing the project on schedule.
Addressing the contractors, Danbatta said that both the Federal and the State governments are following the progress being made at the construction site with keen interest owing to the value addition the project would make not only to the economy of the North-West geo-political zone but also to the country as a whole.
“This is a project that Nigerians are eagerly waiting to be completed. The Federal Government and the State government are following it with keen interest, and at NCC, our responsibility is to ensure that there’s no further delay in delivery as we have been doing everything possible to ensure that we have the project commissioned in the next few months.
“While I promise you that we will give you all the support you need, I also demand that progress report to be sent to me fortnightly over the two months period in order to ensure effective monitoring by us at NCC,” he said.
Speaking further, the EVC commended the State Governor for proving land at a prime location in Kano for the project, which he said is an indication of the value the government attaches to the project.
The DIPs currently being built across the six geo-political zones of the country by the NCC are expected to provide Innovation Labs and Digital Fabrication Laboratories (Fablabs) for use by digital innovators and entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into products and prototypes. The parks are also designed to provide broadband services and to have access to constant power supply.
This is not the first time the NCC boss would pay a visit to the construction site of the project located at Audu Bako Secretariat in the ancient city, which doubles as the commercial nerve centre of northern Nigeria.
The EVC’s latest visit was sequel to a similar visit to the construction site in July 2022 and other visits he had made much earlier, essentially to assess the level of work that has been done so far to ensure that the project is delivered within the set deadline.
During the July 2022 visit to the construction site, Danbatta pointed out that the project was conceived to support the Federal Government’s digital drive by facilitating the availability and accessibility of digital services across the country, and promoting their adoption and usage across all sectors, as well as providing youth employment in the country.
“The idea of putting these two things (i.e., skill acquisition and innovation) at the forefront of this very important initiative is to produce youths that can be self-reliant, generate employment for themselves and other Nigerians,” he said.
Danbatta had also stressed that no part of the country would be left out in benefitting from the initiative. “The project is another move to boost youth digital skills acquisition, promote innovations, provide jobs for the teeming Nigerian youth and ultimately support the overall digital economy agenda of the Federal Government,” he said.

Headlines
Power Shift in Kano: Ganduje Family Bows to Emir Sanusi as Nephew Gets Turbaned

In a dramatic political twist that may redefine Kano’s traditional power matrix, former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has thrown his weight behind Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, as the monarch turbaned Ganduje’s nephew, Alhaji Jamilu Sani Umar, as the new Village Head of Ganduje.
This development signals a major shift in political allegiance, coming from a family that once stood at the heart of Emir Sanusi’s 2020 dethronement.
The former village head, Alhaji Sani Ganduje — who was removed from office — had openly challenged the Kano Emirate over the legitimacy of his removal, deepening the rift between the Gandujes and Sanusi’s loyalists.
However, following the recent reinstatement of Emir Sanusi II by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, political equations in Kano have shifted rapidly.
In what many see as a move to realign with the prevailing tide, Dr. Ganduje reportedly convened a strategic meeting with his extended family and directed full support for the new appointment.

Rather than sending a delegate, the entire Ganduje family physically accompanied Jamilu to the Emir’s palace, a powerful public gesture of submission and allegiance to Sanusi’s throne.
Political analysts interpret this as Ganduje’s calculated pivot — recognizing Emir Sanusi’s regained influence and perhaps seeking to reposition himself within Kano’s changing political terrain.
The move also draws a clear contrast with the dethroned Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, who enjoyed close ties with Ganduje during his administration but is now increasingly sidelined.
By endorsing the turbaning and realigning his family under Sanusi’s leadership, Ganduje appears to be reading the political handwriting on the wall — that Emir Sanusi’s return is not just ceremonial, but a restoration of deep-rooted traditional authority with growing political resonance.
As Kano continues to balance tradition and politics, the Ganduje family’s public allegiance to Emir Sanusi may be the clearest indication yet that the old guard is adapting to a new power order.

Headlines
Kano legislator, Masu dumps NNPP for APC

Kano legislator Masu dumps NNPP for APC

A member of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and a member of the Kano State House of Assembly representing Sumaila Constituency, Hon. Zubairu Hamza Masu, has defected from the NNPP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
KANO FOCUS reports that Masu addressed his resignation letter to the Speaker, Ismail Falgore, and it was read during Monday’s plenary session.
However, Masu cited internal crises bedevilling the NNPP, including factional disputes and ongoing litigations, as his reasons for leaving the party.
He specifically emphasised the multiple claims of leadership within the party at both state and national levels, naming Dr Suleiman Hashim Dungurawa and Senator Mas’ud El-Jibrin Doguwa as those claiming control at the state level, while Dr Ahmed Ajuji and Dr Agbo Major were also asserting authority at the national level.
Masu’s resignation takes effect from 12 May 2025, and he pledged his full allegiance to the APC leadership at all levels.

Headlines
Dangote donates N15billion to Kano varsity, offers Automatic jobs to best graduating students

Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Group President of the Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Aliko Dangote, has announced the donation of a whooping N15billion to the Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil (ADUSTECH), Kano State.

KANO FOCUS reports that. Alhaji Dangote, who is also the Chairman of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) was reappointed the Chancellor of the University.
In his speech at the 5th convocation ceremony, he said the University must be repositioned to lead the race of producing cutting edge research and highly skilled manpower that meets the requirements of market demands, industries and real problem solvers in the Nigerian society.
He said: “It is in this vein that I wish to use this opportunity to announce the launch of the 5-year Development plan which I envision for this institution.
“Over the next 5 years, we will commit the sum of N15 billion to the following projects: the design and construction of additional student hostels; the design and construction of a world class Engineering Lab; the design and construction of a world class multipurpose computer lab -open to all students of the institution which will also be equipped with 24-hour internet access to support academic research and the installation of a mini-solar plant to support access to power on campus.”
He added that: “We also undertake to design and construct a befitting Senate building that will house the administration of this institution. Finally, we will also reserve post-NYSC employment slots for the best performing graduates in Engineering and other related courses that form part of our areas of interest at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Plant and Dangote Cement Plants.”
Alhaji Dangote said the funding for such an institution places a significant burden on the government, which is why, through the Aliko Dangote Foundation, it was able to offset the University’s electricity bill to ease the strain on their finances.
“Additionally, to support the infrastructural drive of the University, we built two blocks of Male and Female Hostels with 500 bed spaces each.
“We also ensured the availability of electricity in a specialized University like ours for continuous teaching, learning and research, via the connection of the University to a 33KVA line, and provided a 2.5 MVA transformer and six (6) step-down transformers. This, I believe, has gone a long way in solving the energy needs of the University.”
Dangote therefore congratulated the vision of those who dreamt of the institution 25 years ago.
“An institution that began with a student population of 88, today has a population of more than 21,877 students and this combined convocation has a total of about 18,000 graduates. This is indeed a milestone,” he added.
In his address, Governor Abba Kabiru Yusuf of Kano State commended Alhaji Dangote for contributing financially and morally towards the development of the University, adding that, “all of us will continue to remember you as a visionary and African illustrious industrialist.”
The University’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasa said 18,000 students were being celebrated during the convocation ceremony, having graduated from the university in the last ten years to date.
Business mogul Chief Arthur Eze, founder of Max Air and billionaire Alhaji Dahiru Barau Mangal, Senior Advocate Ahmad Adeniyi Raji, and oil magnate and founder of Amasco Oil Al-Mustapha Ado bagged honorary doctorate degrees.
The VC said the University has recorded significant strides in its academic journey to greater heights, including program accreditation and a mathematical digital model designed by a university product, Mahmoud Mubarak, for measuring deforestation density.
