Tinubu’s Vision Will Restore Kano’s Historic Commercial Glory, Says APC Chairman Yilwatda

Tinubu’s Vision Will Restore Kano’s Historic Commercial Glory, Says APC Chairman Yilwatda

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is executing a deliberate economic agenda aimed at restoring Kano State to its historic position as Northern Nigeria’s leading commercial hub.

Yilwatda said the ongoing infrastructure drive across the state and the wider Northern corridor is part of a coordinated national strategy to reposition Kano as a key driver of trade, industry and regional integration in West Africa.

He made the remarks in Abuja in a statement signed on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki.

According to him, Kano is central to the Tinubu administration’s broader economic transformation plan, which seeks to revive industrial activity and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness across regional markets.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision will restore Kano to its rightful place as a major economic force in Northern Nigeria and beyond,” Yilwatda said.

He explained that the administration’s infrastructure investments are not isolated interventions but interconnected projects designed to unlock trade corridors, boost manufacturing and improve logistics across the region.

Yilwatda said the Federal Government is currently implementing several strategic projects in and around Kano, including rail, gas, road and urban transport systems.

He highlighted the Kaduna–Kano standard gauge railway as a major logistics corridor expected to link the state directly with Abuja and southern Nigeria, improving the movement of goods and passengers.

He also pointed to the Kano–Maradi rail line, which will extend rail connectivity into Niger Republic and deepen trade links with the Sahel region, describing it as a major gateway for cross-border commerce.

According to him, the Kano Metropolitan Rail Service will modernise intra-city transportation, ease congestion and improve productivity within the state’s urban centre.

Yilwatda further noted that the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline will supply energy to industries, fertiliser plants and manufacturing hubs, thereby stimulating industrial revival in the region.

He added that ongoing rehabilitation of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano highway, alongside the planned Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, will strengthen national connectivity and open up new trade routes linking agricultural and industrial zones to major ports.

The APC Chairman said the combination of these projects reflects a structured plan to reposition Kano as Nigeria’s second major commercial centre after Lagos.

“Kano remains the natural commercial nerve centre of Northern Nigeria. Its revival is essential not only for the North but for Nigeria’s overall economic stability and growth,” he said.

Yilwatda also argued that Kano’s geographic position makes it a strategic gateway to Niger, Chad and Francophone West Africa, giving it significant potential to serve as a regional trade and logistics hub.

He added that strengthening Kano’s industrial base, particularly in textiles, leather, agro-processing and manufacturing, would help drive economic diversification and job creation.

According to him, no previous administration has implemented such a coordinated and integrated infrastructure framework for the region.

“What we are seeing today is a comprehensive development blueprint—rail systems, gas infrastructure, highways and urban transport all working together to reshape the economic landscape of Northern Nigeria,” he said.

Yilwatda also took a swipe at opposition parties, accusing them of focusing on political attacks rather than presenting alternative development ideas.

“While President Tinubu is laying the foundation for long-term prosperity, the opposition remains fixated on criticism without offering a credible economic alternative,” he said.

He expressed confidence that the administration’s economic strategy would restore Kano’s commercial prominence and reposition it as a key player in Africa’s regional trade network.

“History will remember President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the leader who restored Kano’s economic glory and laid the foundation for a new era of industrial growth in Northern Nigeria,” Yilwatda added.