The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nentawe Yilwatda, has declared that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is executing a comprehensive economic strategy aimed at transforming Kano into Northern Nigeria’s leading commercial hub and a major gateway for trade across West Africa.
Speaking in Abuja over the weekend, Yilwatda said the Federal Government’s ongoing infrastructure and industrial investments in Kano and the broader northern corridor are part of a deliberate and coordinated plan to reposition the state as a centre for commerce, manufacturing, logistics, and transnational trade.
According to him, the administration’s vision is to elevate Kano into Nigeria’s second-largest commercial city after Lagos, while strengthening its role as a key trade link to the Sahel and Francophone West Africa.
Yilwatda outlined several major projects driving the initiative, including the Kaduna–Kano standard gauge railway, expected to link Kano directly to Abuja and southern Nigeria, and the Kano–Maradi rail line, which will extend trade connectivity into Niger Republic and neighbouring countries. He added that the proposed Kano Metropolitan Rail Service will modernise urban transportation and improve logistics within the city.
The APC chairman also highlighted the significance of the AKK Gas Pipeline, which is expected to supply industrial gas to Kano and surrounding regions, boosting manufacturing, fertiliser production, and power generation. He noted that ongoing investments in electricity transmission along the Kaduna–Kano axis would further support industrial growth.
In addition, Yilwatda pointed to the rehabilitation of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano highway and the planned Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway as critical road infrastructure projects that will enhance connectivity, facilitate trade, and open new economic corridors linking northern agricultural zones to southern ports.
He explained that Kano’s strategic importance stems from its large commercial ecosystem, proximity to Sahel markets, and historical role in industries such as textiles, leather, and agro-processing. Revitalising the state, he said, is key to driving economic growth, reducing unemployment, and improving stability across Northern Nigeria.
Yilwatda argued that no previous administration had pursued such an integrated development approach for the region, combining rail, gas, power, and road infrastructure into a unified economic framework.
He also criticised opposition parties for focusing on political attacks rather than offering alternative development plans, insisting that the Tinubu administration is laying the foundation for long-term prosperity in the North.
“History will remember President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the leader who restored Kano to industrial prominence and built the infrastructure backbone for Nigeria’s next phase of economic growth,” Yilwatda said.
