Headlines
Only 30% of school-age children attend school in Northern Nigeria – Prof. Shehu
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Executive Secretary of the National Educational Research and Development Council, Prof. Salisu Shehu, has disclosed that only 30 per cent of school-age children in Northern Nigeria are currently attending school.
KANO FOCUS reports that Prof. Shehu made the revelation on Saturday while delivering a lecture at the 10th Ramadan Lecture organised by the Islamic Forum of Nigeria in Kano.
He said Nigeria presently has over 20 million out-of-school children, a figure he noted is rising due to armed banditry in the North-West and insurgency in the North-East. According to him, the closure of many schools in some states as a result of insecurity has further worsened the situation.
The educationist also expressed concern over the shortage of teachers in schools, despite increasing retirements, deaths, transfers and career changes among teaching staff. He lamented that examination malpractice, combined with weak oversight, has led to what he described as a collapse of the education system in Northern Nigeria.
“Products of examination malpractice are now becoming teachers and lecturers, thereby perpetuating the cycle,” he said.
Prof. Shehu warned that lack of access to education is contributing to thuggery and banditry in the region, stressing that education produces responsible citizens, while ignorance breeds irresponsibility.
He urged Northern governors to declare a state of emergency in the education sector and prioritise funding and reforms. He also advised citizens to establish education endowment funds, citing examples from Bangladesh and Malaysia where Muslim communities have addressed similar challenges through charitable initiatives.
The professor criticised what he described as misplaced priorities, questioning why some governors sponsor pilgrimages while many citizens lack access to basic education and quality healthcare.
Presenting a paper on the fate of Northern Nigeria in terms of security, Alhaji Ibrahim Ado Kurawa linked climate change and global warming to the worsening security challenges in the North-East. He identified the longstanding farmer-herder conflict as a root cause of banditry in the North-West.
Kurawa noted that insecurity has contributed to making the North-East and North-West the poorest regions in the country. He expressed dismay that Northern Nigeria has failed to effectively address the issues of almajiranci and out-of-school children since the First Republic.
He called for sincerity in governance, political reforms and greater collaboration among Northern groups such as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), alongside the Islamic Forum of Nigeria.
On the economic outlook of the region, Prof. Kabiru Isa Dandago decried rising poverty, unemployment, overdependence and the high cost of living as major challenges confronting Northern Nigeria. He advocated for a strategic development plan and urged voters to elect credible leaders as a pathway to change.
In his address, the Chairman of the Islamic Forum of Nigeria, Gen. Ahmad Muhammad Daku, said the 2026 edition marked the 10th anniversary of the annual Ramadan lecture series. Represented by Alhaji M.T. Bello, he noted that the topics were carefully selected to address contemporary issues affecting Northern Nigeria.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Forum, Alhaji Dalhatu Gwarzo, appreciated the lead presenters, particularly Prof. Shehu, for their contributions. He announced that a team of rapporteurs had been constituted to compile the papers and comments for a post-Ramadan roundtable discussion with stakeholders.
Gwarzo also revealed plans to publish a compendium of the ten Ramadan lectures delivered over the past decade for the benefit of the Muslim community. He urged Muslims to pray for Northern Nigeria, the country and the world amid prevailing challenges.
He further appealed to political leaders to ensure proper implementation of the new Computer-Based Test (CBT) policy for candidates sitting for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) senior secondary school examinations.
Former Secretary to the Kano State Government, Alhaji Sule Yahaya Hamma, said 80 per cent of Northern Nigeria’s problems could be addressed by governors, urging them to take decisive action in their respective states.
Chairman of the Council of Ulama, Malam Ibrahim Khalil, emphasised patriotic leadership as a solution to current challenges, citing the example of Khalifa Umar bin Abdulaziz as a model of responsible governance.
Other dignitaries at the event included the Emir of Rano, Amb. Muhammad Isa Umaru, and the Madakin Zazzau, Alhaji Munir Jafaru.
Headlines
Abdulaziz unveils project inspection initiative, trains APC social media inflluencers at Arewa media summit
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Public Enlightenment, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, has unveiled a regional project inspection initiative aimed at showcasing key development projects in Northern Nigeria, while urging journalists and social media influencers to uphold ethical communication and combat misinformation.
Speaking on Monday at the maiden Arewa Media Summit in Kano, organised by his office, Abdulaziz said the gathering was conceived to strengthen dialogue between government, citizens and the media through accountability, responsibility and ethical communication.
He said effective governance depends on transparency, responsible civic engagement and a professional media that serves as a bridge between leaders and the people through factual and balanced reporting.
The presidential aide also cautioned social media influencers, who command large online audiences, to verify information before publication and avoid content capable of creating division, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.
According to him, more than 100 All Progressives Congress (APC) social media communicators were trained ahead of the summit to enhance their capacity to communicate government policies, programmes and achievements effectively.
Abdulaziz also unveiled the Gani Ya Kori initiative, a regional project inspection tour designed to spotlight landmark projects executed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Northern state governors that have received limited public attention.
“The initiative will help ensure that citizens are adequately informed about development projects and government interventions across the region,” he said.
The summit also featured a keynote address by the Minister of Information and National Reorientation, Mohammed Idris, who urged journalists and social media influencers to deny bandits and terrorists the publicity they seek.
“The media has an indispensable role in denying violent extremists the publicity they seek while promoting unity, resilience and hope,” the minister said.
He stressed that democracy flourishes when government remains transparent, citizens participate responsibly and the media performs its constitutional role with professionalism, fairness and integrity.
Idris observed that while the digital revolution has transformed communication by making every smartphone a broadcasting platform, it has also accelerated the spread of fake news and disinformation capable of undermining national unity and public confidence.
Declaring the summit open, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf called on other states to emulate Kano’s Special Reporters Initiative, through which more than 150 young people have been deployed to ministries, departments, agencies and the state’s 44 local government areas to strengthen government communication and public enlightenment.
KANO FOCUS reports that the summit attracted journalists, broadcasters, filmmakers, digital content creators, academics, policymakers and communication professionals from across Northern Nigeria to deliberate on the theme, “Government, Citizens: Accountability, Responsibility and Ethical Media Practice.”
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government says it has executed 1,508 development projects worth more than N928 billion across the state’s 44 local government areas since Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf assumed office, with about 80 per cent of constituency projects awarded between 2023 and 2025 already completed.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Commissioner for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Nura Iro Ma’aji Sumaila, disclosed this during an international press briefing on the administration’s infrastructure development programme.
According to Comrade Sumaila, the projects cover critical sectors including roads, urban renewal, education, healthcare, security and other social infrastructure.
He said 799 of the projects have been completed, while 709 are at various stages of execution. He added that the state is also implementing 619 constituency projects through members of the Kano State House of Assembly.
The commissioner noted that about 80 per cent of the constituency projects have been completed. However, he said some projects remain unfinished because of rising construction costs caused by inflation.
He said the government has submitted a request to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for an upward review of contract sums to enable contractors complete the affected projects.
Breakdown of projects
Comrade Sumaila said the administration spent over N169 billion on urban renewal projects, including road rehabilitation, drainage construction and other metropolitan infrastructure.
He said another N118 billion was committed to constructing five-kilometre roads in 38 local government areas to improve connectivity across the state.
According to him, the government also awarded contracts worth over N6.8 billion for the construction of Kano State Neighbourhood Watch security divisions in 36 local government areas.
He added that rural infrastructure projects covering education, healthcare and other social interventions across the 44 local government areas account for contracts valued at more than N397 billion, while other ongoing projects have a combined value of about N255 billion.
Commitment to transparency
The commissioner said the Ministry of Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation would continue to ensure compliance with due process and technical standards in the execution of government projects.
He said the ministry’s mandate includes monitoring projects to ensure value for money and prudent utilisation of public resources.
According to him, the administration’s investments in infrastructure are intended to improve mobility, strengthen security, expand access to education and healthcare, improve water supply and stimulate economic growth across the state.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State has emerged as the highest-ranked sub-national government in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for education spending, according to the latest Sub-National Education Spending Index developed by the University of Paris.
KANO FOCUS reports that the ranking places Kano State first among 209 first-level sub-national governments across 15 ECOWAS member countries, underscoring the state’s growing reputation for prioritising investment in education.
According to the published index, Kano topped the rankings with an overall S-WAESI score of 87.21, outperforming other leading regions, including Dakar and Saint-Louis in Senegal. Lagos State was the second Nigerian state on the list, ranking 16th overall.
The assessment evaluated states and regions using the S-WAESI (Sub-National Weighted Aggregate Education Spending Index) methodology, which measures government commitment to education through indicators such as actual education expenditure, spending per student, budget execution, education priority, transparency and evidence-based reporting.
The methodology assigns 35 points to actual education spending, 25 points to spending per student, 20 points to budget execution, 10 points to education priority and 10 points to transparency.
The report indicated that Kano excelled largely due to its strong actual education spending and budget execution, making it the best-performing sub-national government in the region.
The ranking covered states, regions, districts and municipalities across Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Togo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Cabo Verde.
Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) said the recognition reflects Kano State Government’s sustained investment in expanding access to education, improving school infrastructure and strengthening educational planning and budget implementation.
KANO FOCUS reports that the achievement is expected to further boost the state’s profile as a leader in education reform within West Africa and provide additional momentum for ongoing efforts to improve learning outcomes across the state.
The latest ranking comes amid renewed attention on education financing across ECOWAS, with experts increasingly emphasising transparent budgeting, efficient resource utilisation and sustained public investment as critical drivers of quality education.
K-SAFE hails Gov. Yusuf as Kano tops ECOWAS education spending ranking
Abdulaziz unveils project inspection initiative, trains APC social media inflluencers at Arewa media summit
Kano says it executed 1,508 projects worth N928 billion in three years
World Cup: Imam warns Muslims against allowing football to distract from worship
Kano ranks best in ECOWAS on education spending index
Kano ranks best in ECOWAS on education spending index
Kano recruits over 16,000 teachers, begins 10-year education reform plan
Kano emerges top beneficiary as World Bank rewards states with $27m for reforms
Kano delegation participates in international labour conference in Geneva
