Kano unveils five-year rural development plan to transform communities

The Kano State Government has unveiled the Kano State Integrated Rural and Sustainable Community Development Plan (2026–2030), a five-year strategic roadmap designed to accelerate development across rural communities through inclusive planning, strategic partnerships and evidence-based interventions.

Speaking at the launch of the Rural and Sustainable Community Development Summit (RUSCODS 2026) held at the Coronation Hall in Kano, the state governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf described rural communities as the backbone of Kano’s economy, noting that agriculture, commerce and small-scale enterprises provide livelihoods for a significant proportion of the state’s population.

The Deputy Governor, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, represented Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, who spoke on behalf of Governor Yusuf and reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to sustainable rural development, stating that the government remains determined to ensure that no community is left behind through stronger collaboration with development partners, the private sector, traditional institutions and local communities.

According to him, the government’s investments in rural roads, water supply, electrification, healthcare, education, agriculture, youth empowerment and climate-smart initiatives are aimed at improving the quality of life of rural residents.

The deputy governor urged stakeholders to align their interventions with the needs of rural communities and offer practical recommendations that would support sustainable development. 

He assured participants that the state government would continue to embrace partnerships that enhance the welfare of its people.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Hon. Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said the newly unveiled plan provides a comprehensive framework that places rural communities at the centre of government planning.

He explained that the document was developed through a community-driven and data-based approach to ensure that projects and investments respond to the actual needs of residents while promoting transparency, accountability and effective service delivery.

He described the plan as the first comprehensive blueprint to unify development efforts across the state’s 44 local government areas and 484 wards.

According to the commissioner, the strategy places rural communities at the centre of government planning and is designed to address long-standing challenges of poverty, inadequate infrastructure and weak public services.

He noted that Nigeria’s population is projected to become the third largest globally by 2050, while Kano remains the country’s most populous state, with an estimated population of about 20.5 million people. He said more than 55 per cent of the state’s residents live in 36 rural local government areas, where agriculture remains the primary source of livelihood.

“Despite huge investments over the years, rural communities continue to experience multidimensional poverty, infrastructural decay and poor service delivery. This framework is designed to change that through community-based, data-driven planning and accountability,” Abdulsalam said.

The commissioner explained that the development framework was developed after extensive field research involving more than 300 communities and 9,000 households across the 36 rural local government areas, providing the evidence base for identifying development gaps and setting priorities.

He said the plan aligns with nine of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the state’s development blueprint and national development priorities.

According to him, the framework focuses on key sectors including healthcare, education, agriculture, rural infrastructure, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), rural roads, social protection, governance, security and climate resilience.

Abdulsalam said implementation would begin with institutional strengthening and baseline studies in 2026, followed by quick-impact projects in 2027, expansion of infrastructure by 2029 and consolidation of community ownership by 2030.

He added that financing would come from a combination of state and local government budgets, federal interventions, donor support, philanthropic organisations and community contributions.

“The framework is designed so that neither the state nor local governments will have to borrow, thereby avoiding additional financial burdens on future generations,” he said.

ALSO READ: Jabi Lake: We’re not against redevelopment, CSOs tell FCTA

Representing the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, the Emir of Karaye, Muhammad Mahraz Karaye, commended the initiative, describing the summit as timely and capable of reshaping policies towards improving the living conditions of rural communities.

He said rural development must be anchored on agricultural transformation, improved education, quality healthcare and expanded skills acquisition programmes to tackle unemployment among rural youth.

The traditional ruler also highlighted the need to address rising poverty among women, school dropout rates, unemployment, disability-related challenges, rural-urban migration and insecurity.

While acknowledging the Kano State government’s investments in infrastructure, he called for increased construction of rural roads, improved electricity supply and access to potable water.

He stressed that the success of the new development framework would depend largely on effective implementation, sustained funding and regular updating of reliable data.

“The challenge has never been planning. We have had many development plans over the years. The real issue is implementation, financial commitment and timely release of funds,” he said.

The emir urged government, development partners and communities to work together to ensure the five-year strategy delivers tangible improvements in the socio-economic conditions of rural residents across Kano State.