Headlines
Dangote to complete multi billion Naira health facility in Kano this year
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
In what is seen as good news, the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) would this year complete the State- of–the- Art medical intervention projects at the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital.
KANO FOCUS reports that the interventions include: A Surgical and Diagnostic Center, Laboratory, Maternity Ward and Accident Ward, located within the premises of the hospital.
Fielding questions from newsmen on the sideline of the 38th Convocation Lecture of the Bayero University Kano on Friday, Senior Advisor to the President of Dangote Group, Mansur Ahmed, an Engineer, gave the assurances that the long awaited health intervention project would be ready in months.
He said the delay was due to massive expansion carried out, and changes made to the original plan.
“The project has quadrupled, so has the cost. That means we had to go back to the drawing board,” he told newsmen in Kano.
He said the expansion was in the interest of the ever-growing Kano population, adding that the President of the Dangote Group Aliko Dangote, who is also from Kano, would only settle for the best for his state.
Engr. Ahmed also attributed the delay to the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which delayed activities around the globe.
He thanked the Kano people for their patience, adding that going forward, there are many other areas of interventions earmarked for Kano by the company.
He recalled that Mr. Dangote had ”donated a N1. 2bn modern business school edifice to the Bayero University.”
Engr. Ahmed said Dangote has spent about N10 billion from 2012 till date on several intervention projects in the State.
He added: “Within this period, he empowered 256,500 women across six Northern States with N2.5 billion while N1.2 billion has been spent on provision of free meal to the general public. Through his foundation, he funded the pilot test of seasonal malaria chemoprevention in Kano by Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).”
Dangote unveiled 11-point industrialization blueprint
Meanwhile, Dangote has unveiled an 11-point industrialization blueprint for Nigeria.
Delivering the 38th Convocation Lecture of the Bayero University Kano on Friday, Mr. Dangote, who was represented by Engr. Ahmed, said the 11-point roadmap would be driven by a knowledge-based system.
Dangote, adjudged by Forbes Magazine to be Africa’s wealthiest person, spoke on “Role of the private sector in building a sustainable knowledge economy in Nigeria.”
He said:” The transition from resource-based, production-focused economies to knowledge economies is a complex and multifaceted process.”
He said the key pillars of a knowledge-Based Economy needed for the industrialization of Nigeria are: investment in education, research and development, technological advancements, entrepreneurship and innovation culture, and human capital development.
Other pillars of the knowledge-Based economic development he advocated include: infrastructure development and policy framework that support innovations, international collaboration, Adaptation and Flexibility, conducive enabling environment and the shifting of the economic structure towards knowledge intensive sectors.
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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