Kano (

Hausa Hausa may refer to: * Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa * Hausa language, spoken in West Africa * Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states * Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse See also ...

: ) is one of the 36

states State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

, located in the northern region of the country. Created in 1967 out of the former Northern Region, Kano State borders on

Katsina State Katsina State ( ; 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤳𞤢𞥁𞤭𞤲𞤢) is a state in the northwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered to the west by Zamfara State, to the east by Kano and Jigawa states, and to the south by Kaduna St ...

to the

northwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...

for about 210 km (130 miles),

Jigawa State Jigawa (; 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤮𞤤 𞤶𞤭𞤺𞤢𞤱𞤢) is a state in Nigeria, located in the northern region of the country. Jigawa was created on 27 August 1991, under the General Ibrahim Babangida military administration. Jigawa State was ...

to the northeast for 355 km (221 miles),

Bauchi State Bauchi (Fula: ''Leydi Bauchi'' 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤦𞤢𞤵𞤷𞥅𞤭) is a States of Nigeria, state in the North East (Nigeria), North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered by Jigawa State, Jigawa to the north, Yobe State, Y ...

to the southeast for 131 km (82 miles), and

Kaduna State Kaduna (, جىِهَر كَدُنا; مدينة كدونا; , ; ) is a States of Nigeria, state in the northwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The state capital is its namesake, the city of Kaduna (city), Kaduna, which was the List of Nigerian ...

to the

southwest The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, radially arrayed compass directions (or azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A '' compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, east, south, and west— ...

for 255 km. The state's capital and largest city is the city of

Kano Kano may refer to: Places *Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria *Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State ** Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries ** Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom betwee ...

, the second most populous city in Nigeria after

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

. The incumbent

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

of the state is

Abba Kabir Yusuf Abba Kabir Yusuf (born 5 January 1963) is a Nigerian politician who has served as governor of Kano State since May 2023. He served as commissioner of Works, Housing and Transport when Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso was re-elected for a second term in ...

. He was sworn in on 29 May 2023. Modern-day Kano State was the site of a number of prior kingdoms and empires, including the

Kingdom of Kano The Kingdom of Kano was a Hausa people, Hausa kingdom in the north of what is now Nigeria that was established around 1000 AD, and lasted until the proclamation of the Sultanate of Kano by King Yaji I, Ali Yaji Dan Tsamiya in 1349. The capital i ...

, which was centered in

Dalla Hill Dalla Hill (also spelled Dala) is a hill in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria. It is high and contains a stairway with 101 steps to the bottom to top. In the seventh century, the hill was the site of a community that engaged in iron-working. It was cal ...

(Dutsen Dala) and existed from prior to 1000 AD to 1349. In 1349, the

Sultanate of Kano The Sultanate of Kano was a Hausa kingdom in the north of what is now Nigeria that dates back to 1349, when the king of Kano, Ali Yaji (1349–1385), dissolved the cult of Tsumbubra and proclaimed Kano a sultanate. Before 1000 AD, Kano had been ...

was established with Yaji I as its first Sultan. In the 15th century, Kurmi Market was opened, which helped

become a center of commercial activity in

Hausaland Hausa Kingdoms, also known as Hausa Kingdom or Hausaland, was a collection of states ruled by the Hausa people, before the Fulani jihads. It was situated between the Niger River and Lake Chad (modern day northern Nigeria). Hausaland lay between ...

; the market remains open in the 21st century and its historic importance is reflected in the state's nickname, the ''Centre of Commerce''. During the 16th and 17th centuries, the

established itself as the most powerful of the

Hausa Kingdoms Hausa Kingdoms, also known as Hausa Kingdom or Hausaland, was a collection of states ruled by the Hausa people, before the Fulani jihads. It was situated between the Niger River and Lake Chad (modern day northern Nigeria). Hausaland lay betwe ...

. In 1903, the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

conquered Conquest involves the annexation or control of another entity's territory through war or coercion. Historically, conquests occurred frequently in the international system, and there were limited normative or legal prohibitions against conquest ...

the

Kano Emirate The Kano Emirate was a Muslim state in northern Nigeria formed in 1805 during the Fulani jihad when the Muslim Hausa people, Hausa-led Sultanate of Kano was deposed and replaced by a new emirate which became a vassal state of the Sokoto Caliph ...

, incorporating it into the

Northern Nigeria Protectorate Northern Nigeria ( Hausa: ''Arewacin Najeriya'') was a British protectorate which lasted from 1900 until 1914, and covered the northern part of what is now Nigeria. The protectorate spanned and included the emirates of the Sokoto Caliphate ...

. The major ethnic groups in pre-colonial Kano City were the

Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people are an ethnic group in Sahara, Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. Inhabiting many countries, they live mainly in West Africa and northern parts of Central Africa, South Sudan, Darfur, ...

, Barebari ( Kanuri), Tuareg,

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

Nupe Nupe or NUPE may refer to: *Nupe people, of Nigeria *Nupe language, their language * Nupe River, in the Huánuco Region, Peru * Bida Emirate, also known as the Nupe Kingdom, their former state *A member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity in the Uni ...

and some tribes from the southern Nigeria. Most of the people in Kano city have come to use the

Hausa language Hausa (; / ; Hausa Ajami, Ajami: ) is a Chadic language spoken primarily by the Hausa people in the northern parts of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Benin and Togo, and the southern parts of Niger, and Chad, with significant minorities in Ivory Coas ...

as a first language and some have accepted Hausa as an ethnic identification. Since independence, Kano State has developed a diverse economy, establishing itself as a center for industry,

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

, and Islamic banking. The

and

make up the majority of Kano State's population. The

is the dominant language in the state, as it is in most of

Northern Nigeria Northern Nigeria (or Arewa, Arewancin Nijeriya) was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962, it acquired t ...

. Challenges faced by Kano State in the 21st century include attacks by the Islamist terrorist group

Boko Haram Boko Haram, officially known as Jama'at Ahl al-Sunna li al-Da'wa wa al-Jihad (), is a self-proclaimed jihadist militant group based in northeastern Nigeria and also active in Chad, Niger, northern Cameroon, and Mali. In 2016, the group spli ...

, inter-religious violence, and

extreme poverty Extreme poverty is the most severe type of poverty, defined by the United Nations (UN) as "a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, ...

. A Muslim-majority state, Kano State is one of the twelve states in Nigeria to operate under

Sharia law Sharia, Sharī'ah, Shari'a, or Shariah () is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition based on scriptures of Islam, particularly the Qur'an and hadith. In Islamic terminology ''sharīʿah'' refers to immutable, inta ...

within the legal framework of the Nigerian

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

History

An important early center of

commerce Commerce is the organized Complex system, system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions that directly or indirectly contribute to the smooth, unhindered large-scale exchange (distribution through Financial transaction, transactiona ...

in the region was Kurmi Market, founded by the Hausa people under

Emir of Kano The Kano Emirate was a Muslim state in northern Nigeria formed in 1805 during the Fulani jihad when the Muslim Hausa-led Sultanate of Kano was deposed and replaced by a new emirate which became a vassal state of the Sokoto Caliphate. During an ...

Muhammadu Rumfa in 1463 CE. Subsequent leaders made contributions to the emergence of Kano as a leading commercial centre in Sudanic Africa. During the time of the

, Emir

Ibrahim Dabo Ibrahim Dabo () was the leader of the Fulani Sullubawa in Kano and founder of the eponymous Dabo dynasty. His progeny has lasted over two centuries reigning as Muslim rulers of the ancient city-state of Kano. The dynasty has become synonymous ...

made a number of administrative reforms, seeking to increase commerce in the region. Leaders during this time encouraged traders to move from

Katsina Katsina State ( ; 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤣𞤭 𞤳𞤢𞥁𞤭𞤲𞤢) is a state in the northwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. It is bordered to the west by Zamfara State, to the east by Kano and Jigawa states, and to the south by Kaduna St ...

, capitalising on raids from the

Sultanate Sultan (; ', ) is a Royal and noble ranks, position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". La ...

of Maradi. The Jihad leaders of the Caliphate encouraged the

Kola nut The kola nut ( Yoruba: ''obi'', Dagbani: ''guli'', Hausa: goro, Igbo: ''ọjị'', Sängö: ''gôro,'' Swahili: ''mukezu'') is the seed of certain species of plant of the genus ''Cola'', placed formerly in the cocoa family Sterculiaceae and ...

trade, and Kano was the greatest beneficiary with an annual turnover of about $30 million.

Craft A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale pr ...

industries also evolved in the pre-colonial period contributing to the prosperity of the province. After a

British occupation The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts establishe ...

of the region, culminating in the

Battle of Kano The Battle of Kano was an important military engagement fought between the British Empire and the Sokoto Caliphate and their vassal state, the Kano Emirate. The battle took place in what is now Northern Nigeria. Background In 1899, Lord Lugard ha ...

in February 1903, the region became a part of the

. Kano later became a part of the Northern Region of Nigeria. Kano state was created on 27 May 1967. In 1991, part of Kano State was separated to form

Geography

Climate

The climate of Kano state is characterised by variability in rainfall between the 70s and 80s, with drought and near

drought A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, ...

conditions. Between the 90s and the year 2015, the

moisture Moisture is the presence of a liquid, especially water, often in trace amounts. Moisture is defined as water in the adsorbed or absorbed phase. Small amounts of water may be found, for example, in the air (humidity), in foods, and in some comme ...

conditions have improved considerably but for fluctuations in rainfall in the state. However, since 2015 till date, there has been an increase in rainfall in the state, which has helped increase agricultural production in this northern Nigerian state considerably. Based on the report of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), the amount of rainfall varies between years with a mean value of 897.7mm. In the first quarter of 2022, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency sounded an early warning of floods in some states, including Kano state. The agency asserted that their warning was based on the amount and distribution of rainfall that had been observed in the nation during the rainy season. According to the Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), 25 local government districts experienced flooding as a result of the extreme rain's aftermath.

Temperature

The temperature of Kano has been on the rise since the 60s and this is highly remarkable. The annual temperature of the state is between 26 °C to 30 °C of dumal temperature, which is high, and measurable between the range of 13.1%, with the

relative humidity Humidity is the concentration of water vapor present in the air. Water vapor, the gaseous state of water, is generally invisible to the human eye. Humidity indicates the likelihood for precipitation (meteorology), precipitation, dew, or fog t ...

of between 17% and 90% respectively.

Economy

Many large markets exist within Kano today, such as Kurmi Market, Kantin Kwari Market, Sabon Gari Market, Dawanau Market Kofar Wanbai Market, Galadima Market, Yankura Market and Bata Market. Many of these markets specialize in a certain product, such as

textile Textile is an Hyponymy and hypernymy, umbrella term that includes various Fiber, fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, Staple (textiles)#Filament fiber, filaments, Thread (yarn), threads, and different types of #Fabric, fabric. ...

s or

grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...

Agriculture

Subsistence A subsistence economy is an economy directed to basic subsistence (the provision of food, clothing and shelter) rather than to the market. Definition "Subsistence" is understood as supporting oneself and family at a minimum level. Basic subsiste ...

and commercial agriculture are mostly practised in the outlying districts of the state. Some of the food crops cultivated are

millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...

, cowpeas,

sorghum ''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a species in the Poaceae, grass genus ''Sorghum (genus), Sorghum'' cultivated for its grain. The grain i ...

maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

and

rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...

for local consumption while groundnuts and

cotton Cotton (), first recorded in ancient India, is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus '' Gossypium'' in the mallow family Malvaceae. The fiber is almost pure ...

are produced for export and industrial purposes. During the colonial period and several years after the country's independence, the groundnuts produced in the state constituted one of the major sources of revenue of the country. Kano State is a major producer of hides and skins,

sesame Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus '' Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for ...

soybean The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean. Soy is a staple crop, the world's most grown legume, and an important animal feed. Soy is a key source o ...

, cotton,

garlic Garlic (''Allium sativum'') is a species of bulbous flowering plants in the genus '' Allium''. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chives, Welsh onion, and Chinese onion. Garlic is native to central and south Asia, str ...

gum arabic Gum arabic (gum acacia, gum sudani, Senegal gum and by other names) () is a tree gum exuded by two species of '' Acacia sensu lato:'' '' Senegalia senegal,'' and '' Vachellia seyal.'' However, the term "gum arabic" does not indicate a partic ...

and

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

. A 2018 study of Tudun Wada found that both temperature and rainfall were likely to increase with climate change, causing increased stress on crops, and would require increased

climate change adaptation Climate change adaptation is the process of adjusting to the effects of climate change, both current and anticipated.IPCC, 2022Annex II: Glossary[Möller, V., R. van Diemen, J.B.R. Matthews, C. Méndez, S. Semenov, J.S. Fuglestvedt, A. Reisinger ...

for agricultural practices.

Industry

Kano State is the second-largest industrial centre after

Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...

in Nigeria and the largest in Northern Nigeria with

, tanning,

footwear Footwear refers to garments worn on the feet, which typically serve the purpose of protective clothing, protection against adversities of the environment such as wear from rough ground; stability on slippery ground; and temperature. *Shoes and si ...

cosmetics Cosmetics are substances that are intended for application to the body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering appearance. They are mixtures of chemical compounds derived from either Natural product, natural source ...

plastic Plastics are a wide range of synthetic polymers, synthetic or Semisynthesis, semisynthetic materials composed primarily of Polymer, polymers. Their defining characteristic, Plasticity (physics), plasticity, allows them to be Injection moulding ...

s, enamelware, pharmaceuticals,

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant, and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcela ...

furniture Furniture refers to objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., Stool (seat), stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (table (furniture), tables), storing items, working, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Furnitur ...

and other industries.. Others include agricultural implements,

soft drink A soft drink (see #Terminology, § Terminology for other names) is a class of non-alcoholic drink, usually (but not necessarily) Carbonated water, carbonated, and typically including added Sweetness, sweetener. Flavors used to be Natural flav ...

s, food and beverages,

dairy product Dairy products or milk products are food products made from (or containing) milk. The most common dairy animals are cow, water buffalo, goat, nanny goat, and Sheep, ewe. Dairy products include common grocery store food around the world such as y ...

vegetable oil Vegetable oils, or vegetable fats, are oils extracted from seeds or from other parts of edible plants. Like animal fats, vegetable fats are ''mixtures'' of triglycerides. Soybean oil, grape seed oil, and cocoa butter are examples of seed ...

, animal feeds etc. Kano is also the center of a growing Islamic banking industry in Nigeria.

Tourism

Tourist attractions in the state include: * Kurmi Market established in the 15th century * Kano's centuries-old city wall * Gidan Rumfa (Emir's Palace, the oldest continuous site of authority in Nigeria) *

Kano Zoo Kano may refer to: Places *Kano State, a state in Northern Nigeria *Kano (city), a city in Nigeria, and the capital of Kano State **Kingdom of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between the 10th and 14th centuries **Sultanate of Kano, a Hausa kingdom between ...

* Dala and Gwauron Dutse * Gidan Makama (Kano Museum) *

Bashir Tofa Bashir Othman Tofa (20 June 1947 – 3 January 2022) was a Nigerian politician. A Kanuri Muslim from the northern state of Kano, Tofa was the National Republican Convention (NRC), candidate in the annulled Nigeria's 12 June 1993 presidential ...

Mosque * Gidan dan Hausa Museum

Natural resources

Kano State has different natural resources in abundant, these include

Mineral raw materials

Cassiterite Cassiterite is a tin oxide mineral, SnO2. It is generally opaque, but it is translucent in thin crystals. Its luster and multiple crystal faces produce a desirable gem. Cassiterite was the chief tin ore throughout ancient history and remains ...

Copper Copper is a chemical element; it has symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkish-orang ...

Gemstone A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewellery, jewelry or other adornments. Certain Rock (geology), rocks (such ...

* Glass-sand * Lead/Zinc * Pyrochinre &

Tantalite The mineral group tantalite manganese.html" ;"title="iron.html" ;"title="iron">Fe, manganese">Mn)Tantalum">Ta2oxygen">O6is the primary source of the chemical element tantalum, a corrosion (heat and acid) resistant metal. It is chemically simil ...

Agro raw materials

Transport

Federal highways

* A2 (part of the African Unity Road or

Trans-Sahara Highway The Trans-Sahara Highway or TAH 2, formally the Trans-Saharan Road Corridor (TSR),Kaduna State Kaduna (, جىِهَر كَدُنا; مدينة كدونا; , ; ) is a States of Nigeria, state in the northwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The state capital is its namesake, the city of Kaduna (city), Kaduna, which was the List of Nigerian ...

at Gidan Mallam Idi for 166 km as the Zaria Rd via Kura, Nassarawa, Kano, Bankaura, Kunya, Dambarta and Ajumawa to

at Yanzaki, * A9 (part of the Dakar-Ndjamena Trans-Sahelian Highway or TAH 5) northwest from A2 at Bankaura (14 km north of

) for 71 km via Bichi, Dan Zabuwa and Tsanyawa as IBB Way to

at Yan Kamaye, * A237 continuing TAH5 east from A2 in Kano for 110 km across the

Hadejia River The Hadejia River ( Hausa: ) is a river in Northern Nigeria and is a tributary of the Yobe River (Komadugu Yobe). Among the cities and towns that lie on or near its banks are Hadejia and Nguru. Damming of the river for the purposes of irriga ...

at Wudil via Takai and Kachako to

as the Kano Rd.

Other major roads

* the Kunya-Mutum Rd northeast from A2 to

at Duma, * The Kano-Gumel Rd northeast via Dosai, Gezawa, Kirazare and Dadin Diniya to Jigawa State near Magama, * The Kano-Ringim Rd east from Dosai via Gwandu, Wangara, Zugachi and Zakirai to Jigawa State at Gorshinsi, * south from Gwandu via Gogel to A237 at Zogarava, * the Gaya-Wudil Rd east from A237 to

Jigawa Jigawa (; 𞤤𞤫𞤴𞤮𞤤 𞤶𞤭𞤺𞤢𞤱𞤢) is a state in Nigeria, located in the northern region of the country. Jigawa was created on 27 August 1991, under the General Ibrahim Babangida military administration. Jigawa State was ...

at Dundubis as the Gaya-Azare Rd, * south from A2 at Karfi Ruga as the Kano-Kumbotso-Rano or Rano-Karfin Ruga Rd via

Bunkure Bunkure is a Local Government Area in Kano State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Bunkure. It has an area of 487 km and a population of 170,891 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 710. Bunkure local governm ...

Rano Rano is a Local Government Area and headquarter of Rano Emirate council in Kano State, Nigeria. It's is a local government area in Kano State with administrative headquarters in the town of Rano. The LGA is a Hausa-Fulani community in the south ...

Kibiya Kibiya is a Local Government Area in Kano State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kibiya. The traditional ruler of Kibiya is former Comptroller General of Immigration Senator Usman Kibiya Umar. It has an area of 404 km and a po ...

, Tarai, Burunburum, Sitti and Masu to

at Gwanda as the Sabon Gari-Gwanda-Kafin-Birgi Rd, * the Kafin Maiyaki-Sabin Bimi Rd south from A2 via Arna, Tudun Wada, Falgore Game Reserve, Tagwaye and Dadin Kowa to

at Murai, * the Kiru-Rurum Rd north from A2 at Kafin Maiyaki via Yako and Karaye to Gwarzo as the Kafi-Jamaa Kosa Rd, * Murtala Mohammed Rd west from

at Gangara, * the Gwarzo-Shanono Rd north via Bagawi to A9 at Bichi.

Railways

Kano is on the 1067 mm

Cape Gauge A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...

Western Railway Line from

via

Kaduna Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Nigeria. It is located in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River. It is a trade center and a major transportation hub as the gateway to northern state ...

(rehabilitated 2013), with a new double track standard gauge line under construction.

Rail transport in Nigeria Railways in Nigeria consist of a 3,505 km Cape gauge national railway network and 669 km of standard gauge. The Cape gauge network is in poor condition due to lack of maintenance. In 2019, the single operational standard gauge line fro ...

Airports

Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (, ) is an international airport serving Kano, the capital city of Kano State in Nigeria. It was a Royal Air Force station before the country became independent. It is the main airport serving northern ...

(1936), HQ of Kabo Air, Azman Airlines and Max Air.

Education

Secondary schools

* Dawakin Tofa Science College * Rumfa College, Kano

Universities

Kano State is home to five universities: one federal university, one regimented federal university, two state universities, and one private university. *

Bayero University Kano The Bayero University Kano (BUK) is a university situated in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria. It was founded in 1975, when it was renamed from Bayero University College and upgraded from university college to university. It is the first university i ...

(BUK), founded in 1977. * Kano University of Science and Technology (KUST), founded in 2001. * Nigeria Police Academy Wudil, founded as the 37th federal university in 2011. * Skyline University, Kano. Founded in 2018 * Yusuf Maitama Sule University, Kano (YUSMUK), founded in 2012.

Polytechnics and colleges

The following is a list of the approved Polytechnics and Colleges in the state of Kano: * Aminu Kano College of Islamic Legal Studies, Kano *

Audu Bako School of Agriculture The Audu Bako School of Agriculture in Dambatta, Kano State, Nigeria, awards diplomas in technical and vocational subjects for middle-level manpower. It is named after Audu Bako, a former governor of the state. The college was established in 200 ...

, Dambatta * Federal College of Education, Kano * Kano State Polytechnic. *

Sa'adatu Rimi College of Education The Bayero University Kano (BUK) is a university situated in Kano, Kano State, Nigeria. It was founded in 1975, when it was renamed from Bayero University College and upgraded from university college to university. It is the first university i ...

Local government areas

Kano State consists of forty-four (44)

Local Government Areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The ph ...

(LGAs).

Demographics

Population

According to the 2006 PON census figures, Kano State had a population totaling 9,401,288. Based on the official data by the

National Bureau of Statistics National Bureau of Statistics or State Bureau of Statistics may refer to: *National Bureau of Statistics of China * National Bureau of Statistics of Moldova *National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria *National Bureau of Statistics of Tanzania *Austral ...

, Kano State is the most populous state in the country followed by

. The state is mostly populated by the

and

people.

Languages

The official language of Kano State are

and

Fulfulde Fula ( ),Laurie Bauer, 2007, ''The Linguistics Student's Handbook'', Edinburgh also known as Fulani ( ) or Fulah (, , ; Adlam: , , ; Ajami: , , ), is a Senegambian language spoken by around 36.8 million people as a set of various diale ...

. The

Kainji languages The Kainji languages are a group of about 60 related languages spoken in west-central Nigeria. They form part of the Central Nigerian (Platoid) branch of Benue–Congo. Demographics Four of the most widely spoken Kainji languages are Tsuvadi ( ...

Moro, Kurama and

Map A map is a symbolic depiction of interrelationships, commonly spatial, between things within a space. A map may be annotated with text and graphics. Like any graphic, a map may be fixed to paper or other durable media, or may be displayed on ...

are also spoken in Doguwa LGA.

Notable people

Sani Abacha Sani Abacha (; (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian military dictator and statesman who ruled Nigeria with an iron fist as military head of state from 1993 following a palace coup d'état until his death in 1998. Abacha's seiz ...

(1943–1998), 10th Military Head of State of Nigeria *

Ja'afar Mahmud Adam Shiekh Ja'afar Mahmud Adam (February 12, 1960 – April 13, 2007) was a Salafist Islamic scholar and member of Nigeria's Jama’at Izalat al Bid’a Wa Iqamat as Sunna, a religio-political organisation with headquarters in Abuja. He lived prim ...

(1960–2007), a popular Islamic scholar *

Nazifi Asnanic Nazifi Abdulsalam Yusuf ( born 2 February 1982) better known as his stage name Nazifi Asnanic () is a Nigerian singer, songwriter, director, and producer. He was born and raised in the ancient city of Kano. Nazifi Asnanic, often referred to as th ...

kannywood actor and musician. *

Mubarak Bala Mubarak Bala (born 1984) is a Nigerian atheist and president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria. Bala has faced persecution and arrest for leaving Islam and publicly expressing atheist views. On 5 April 2022, the Kano State High Court sen ...

, atheist and president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria; is currently imprisoned for comments he made on social media about Islam. *

Aliko Dangote Aliko Mohammad Dangote (born 10 April 1957) is a Nigerian businessman known for his key roles in Dangote Group and Dangote Refinery, Refinery. In 2011, he was appointed as member of the economic management team by President Goodluck Jonathan. D ...

(born 1957), Nigerian

business magnate A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who is a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or ser ...

and

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

, Africa's richest person. *

Aminu Dantata Aminu Alhassan Dantata (; 19 May 1931 – 28 June 2025) was a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who was one of the promoters of Kano State Foundation, an endowment fund that supported educational initiatives and provided grants to small-s ...

(born 1931), Nigerian

and

* Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa Islamic preacher. *

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (born 25 December 1949) is a Nigerian politician who served as the governor of Kano State from 2015 to 2023. He previously served as Rabiu Kwankwaso's deputy governor twice, from 1999 to 2003 and from 2011 to 2015. He ...

(born 1949), Nigerian politician and Kano State Governor from 2015 to 2023. * Ahmad Sulaiman Ibrahim Islamic preacher. * Nura M Inuwa Hausa Musician. *

Ali Jita Ali Isah Jita (born 15 July 1983), simply known as Ali Jita, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and musician. Early life Ali Jita was born into the family of Alhaji Sallau Jibrin Kibiya who is a butcher and his mother Hajiya Ummul-Khairi in Gyadi ...

Hausa musician. * Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara Islamic preacher. * Qaribullah Nasiru Kabara Islamic preacher. *

Aminu Kano Mallam Aminu Kano (9 August 1920 — 17 April 1983) was a Nigerian radical opposition political leader, teacher, poet, playwright, and trade unionist from Kano. He played an active role during the transition from British colonial rule t ...

(9 August 1920 — 17 April 1983) was a politician and teacher * Sheikh Ibrahim Khaleel Islamic preacher. *

Rabiu Kwankwaso 200px, Nigeria.html" ;"title="Kano State in Nigeria">Kano State in Nigeria Mohammed Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, (born 21 October 1956) is a Nigerian politician who served as governor of Kano state from 1999 to 2003 and from 2011 to 2015. After he ...

(born 1956), former Governor of Kano state and former minister of defence of Nigeria, *

Murtala Muhammed Murtala Ramat Muhammed (; 8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976) was a Nigerian military officer and the fourth head of state of Nigeria. He led the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup in overthrowing the military regime of Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi a ...

, 4th Military head of state of Nigeria, 1975 to 1976 * Abdul Samad Rabiu (born 4 August 1960), Nigerian

and

, Africa's 6th richest person. * Isyaku Rabiu, businessman *

Sanusi Lamido Sanusi Muhammadu Sanusi II, ( Ajami: محمد السنوسي, ''Muhammadu Sanusi na biyu'' ; born 31 July 1961), known by the religious title Khalifa Sanusi II ( Ajami: خليفة السنوسي), is the spiritual leader (''khalifa'') of the Tijanniy ...

(born 1961), former CBN Governor, 14 & 16th (Current)

Ibrahim Shekarau Ibrahim Shekarau (born 5 November 1955) is a former Nigerian minister of education and two-term Governor of Kano State in Nigeria. He was elected in April 2003 and re-elected in April 2007. He is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). ...

(born 1955), former Governor and former Minister of Education (2003–2011). * Barau Jibrin Senator Barau I. Jibrin CFR (born 19 June 1959) is a Nigerian politician who is the current deputy president of the Nigerian Senate since 2023. * Yusuf Babangida Suleiman (born 1976), politician in the 7th, 8th and 9th Kano State House of Assembly *

Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila Abdullahi Aliyu Sumaila (23 March 1946 – 11 January 2003) was a Nigerian politician and administrator. One of the first administrators to inherit the post first republican administrative structure instituted by the military, he served the Local ...

former Secretary to the Kano State Executive Council, rtd Permanent Secretary, former Principal Secretary to the Kano State Governor, former Board Chairman Hadejia-Jama'are River Basin Development Authority and Kano State Television Corporation. *

(born 1963). Kano State Governor since May 2023.

Politics

The state government is led by a democratically elected governor who works closely with the state House of Assembly. The capital city of the state is

Electoral system

The governor of each state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-third of the State local government Areas. If no candidate passes the threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government Areas.

References

External links

*
National Bureau of Statistics Maps of Kano State
{{Portal bar, Nigeria Sharia in Nigeria States of Nigeria States and territories established in 1967