Tinubu Repositioning Kano as Northern Economic Hub, Says APC Chairman Yilwatda

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is implementing a comprehensive economic strategy aimed at transforming Kano State into Northern Nigeria’s commercial capital and a major trade gateway in West Africa.

Yilwatda made the assertion in Abuja over the weekend, stating that ongoing infrastructure and industrial projects in Kano and across the northern corridor are part of a deliberate plan to reposition the region economically.

According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, the APC chairman said the Federal Government’s investments are designed to restore Kano’s historical role as a leading centre for commerce, manufacturing and regional trade.
He explained that the administration’s vision is to make Kano the second-largest commercial hub in Nigeria after Lagos, while also serving as a gateway for trade into the Sahel and Francophone West Africa.

Yilwatda highlighted key projects driving the initiative, including the Kaduna–Kano standard gauge railway, which is expected to link Kano to Abuja and southern parts of the country, as well as the Kano–Maradi rail line that will connect Nigeria to Niger Republic and boost cross-border trade.

He also listed the proposed Kano Metropolitan Rail Service, the Ajaokuta–Kaduna–Kano (AKK) Gas Pipeline, and ongoing investments in power generation and transmission as critical to reviving industrial activities in the region.

Other projects mentioned include the rehabilitation of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano highway and the proposed Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, both aimed at improving connectivity and enhancing trade flows between the North and southern markets.

The APC chairman noted that Kano’s strategic importance lies in its large commercial ecosystem, geographic advantage as a gateway to the Sahel, and its historical role in industries such as textiles, leather and agro-processing.

He added that boosting economic activities in Kano and the wider North would help address poverty, unemployment and insecurity, while reducing overdependence on Lagos as Nigeria’s primary commercial centre.

Yilwatda described the current efforts as unprecedented, saying no previous administration had undertaken such an integrated approach to infrastructure development in Northern Nigeria.

He also criticised opposition parties for focusing on political attacks rather than offering alternative development plans.

The APC chairman expressed confidence that the Tinubu administration’s policies would reshape the economic landscape of Northern Nigeria and restore Kano’s prominence as a major commercial hub in Africa.