Kano State (Hausa: ) is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the northern region of the country. According to the 2006 national census, Kano State was the most populous state in Nigeria. Created in 1967 out of the former Northern Region, Kano State shares a border with Katsina State to the northwest, Jigawa State to the northeast, Bauchi State to the southeast, and Kaduna State to the southwest. The state's capital city is Kano, the largest in Nigeria after Lagos. The incumbent governor of the state is Abba Kabir Yusuf, sworn in on 29 May 2023.
Two major ethnic groups, the Hausa and Fulani, make up the majority of Kano State's population. Hausa is the dominant language in the state, as in most parts of Northern Nigeria. Kano State has most recently faced challenges such as attacks by the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram, inter-religious violence,Obasanjo Assesses Riot Damage in Kano – 2001-10-16 . Voice of America News. and extreme poverty. Kano State operates under Sharia law, within the legal framework of the Nigerian Constitution.
History Modern-day Kano State was the site of a number of kingdoms and empires including the Kingdom of Kano, which was centred on Dalla Hill (Hausa: ) from to 1000CE to 1349. In 1349, the Sultanate of Kano was established when Yaji I converted to Islam and became its first Sultan. In 1463, Kurmi Market was opened, which helped the city of Kano become a centre of commercial activity in Hausaland. The market remains open today and its historic importance is reflected in the state's nickname, the Centre of Commerce.
During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Sultanate of Kano became one of the most powerful of the Hausa Kingdoms. After the Fulani jihad of 1804-08, the Kano Emirate deposed the former sultanate. Emir Ibrahim Dabo made a number of administrative reforms, seeking to increase commerce in the region.
Leaders during this time encouraged traders to move from Katsina, capitalising on raids from the Hausa Sultanate of Maradi. The leaders of the caliphate encouraged the kola nut trade, and Kano was the greatest beneficiary with an annual turnover of about $30 million. Craft industries also evolved in the pre-colonial period contributing to the prosperity of the province.
In 1903, the British Empire conquered the Kano Emirate, incorporating it into the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. The major ethnic groups in pre-colonial Kano were the Hausa, Fulani, Barebari (Kanuri), Tuareg, Arab, and Nupe. Most people in Kano speak Hausa as a first language, while some identify as ethnically Hausa.
Since Nigerian independence, Kano State has developed a diverse economy, establishing itself as a centre for industry, agriculture, and Islamic banking. Kano State was created on 27 May 1967. In 1991, part of Kano State was separated to form Jigawa State.
Geography Climate The rainfall in Kano State has variable rainfall with drought and near-drought conditions between the 1970s and 1980s. Between the 1990s and the year 2015, the moisture conditions improved considerably but rainfall still fluctuated. Since 2015, there has been a considerable increase in rainfall. Based on a report of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), rainfall averaged by a mean of .
In the first quarter of 2022, NIMET sounded an early warning for floods in some states, including Kano. 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.
Temperature The temperature of Kano has risen significantly since the 1960s. The annual temperature of the state is between 26 °C to 30 °C for the diurnal temperature, which is high, and measurable between the range of 13.1%, with the relative humidity 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 specialise in certain products, such as textiles or grain. The dye industry beginning in the 19th century contributed greatly to Kano's economy.
Agriculture Subsistence and commercial agriculture are mostly practised in the outlying districts of the state. Some of the food crops cultivated are millet, cowpeas, sorghum, maize and rice for local consumption, while groundnuts and cotton 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, soybeans, cotton, garlic, gum arabic and chili peppers.
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 for agricultural practices.
Industry Kano State is the second-largest industrial centre after Lagos State in Nigeria and the largest in northern Nigeria. Some of its industries include but are not limited to, textiles, tanning, footwear, cosmetics, plastics, enamelware, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, furniture.. including agricultural implements, soft drinks, food and beverages, dairy products, vegetable oil, and animal feed. Kano is also the centre 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 Dala and Gwauron Dutse Gidan Makama (Kano Museum) Bashir Tofa Mosque Gidan dan Hausa Museum
Natural resources Kano State has various natural resources in abundance, including:
Mineral raw materials Cassiterite Copper Gemstone Glass-sand Lead Zinc Pyrochinre Tantalite
Transport Federal highways A2 (part of the Trans-Sahara Highway or TAH2) north from Kaduna State at Gidan Mallam Idi for 166 km as Zaria Road via Kura, Nassarawa, Kano, Bankaura, Kunya, Dambarta and Ajumawa to Jigawa State at Yanzaki, A9 (part of the Dakar-Ndjamena Trans-Sahelian Highway or TAH 5) northwest from A2 at Bankaura (14 km north of Kano city) for 71 km via Bichi, Dan Zabuwa and Tsanyawa as IBB Way to Katsina State at Yan Kamaye, A237 continuing TAH5 east from A2 in Kano for 110 km across the Hadejia River at Wudil via Takai and Kachako to Jigawa State as the Kano Rd.
Other major roads The Kunya-Mutum road northeast from A2 to Jigawa State at Duma, The Kano-Gumel road northeast via Dosai, Gezawa, Kirazare and Dadin Diniya to Jigawa State near Magama, The Kano-Ringim road 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 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, Rano, Kibiya, Tarai, Burunburum, Sitti and Masu to Bauchi State 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 Kaduna State 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 Kano to Katsina State at Gangara, the Gwarzo-Shanono Rd north via Bagawi to A9 at Bichi.
Railways Kano is on the 1067 mm Cape Gauge Western Railway Line from Lagos via Kaduna to Jigawa State (rehabilitated 2013), with a new double-track standard-gauge line under construction.
Airports
Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (1936) is the headquarters 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 (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. Northwest University, Kano (YUSMUK), founded in 2012. Skyline University, Kano, founded in 2018.sun.edu.ng Skyline University
Polytechnics and colleges The following is a list of the approved polytechnic schools and colleges in the state of Kano:
Aminu Kano College of Islamic Legal Studies, Kano Audu Bako School of Agriculture, Dambatta Federal College of Education, Kano Kano State Polytechnic Sa'adatu Rimi College of Education
Local government areas
Kano State consists of 44 local government areas (LGAs):
Name Area (km2) Census 2006population Administrative capital Postalcode Fagge 21 200,095 Waje 700 Dala 19 418,759 Gwanmaja 700 Gwale 18 357,827 Gwale 700 Kano Municipal 17 371,243 Kofar Kudu 700 Tarauni 28 221,844 Unguwa Uku 700 Nassarawa 34 596,411 Bompai 700 Kumbotso 158 294,391 Kumbotso 700 Ungogo 204 365,737 Ungogo 700 Kano Metropolitan Area 499 2,828,861 700 Dawakin Tofa 479 246,197 Dawakin Tofa 701 Tofa 202 98,603 Tofa 701 Rimin Gado 225 103,371 Rimin Gado 701 Bagwai 405 161,533 Bagwai 701 Gezawa 340 282,328 Gezawa 702 Gabasawa 605 211,204 Zakirai 702 Minjibir 416 219,611 Minjibir 702 Dambatta 732 210,474 Dambatta 702 Makoda 441 220,094 Makoda 702 Kunchi 671 110,170 Kunchi 703 Bichi 612 278,309 Bichi 703 Tsanyawa 492 157,730 Tsanyawa 703 Shanono 697 139,128 Shanono 704 Gwarzo 393 183,624 Gwarzo 704 Karaye 479 144,045 Karaye 704 Rogo 802 227,607 Rogo 704 Kabo 341 153,158 Kabo 704 Northern Kano State 8,332 3,143,899 701 to 704 Bunkure 487 174,467 Bunkure 710 Kibiya 404 138,618 Kibiya 710 Rano 520 148,276 Rano 710 Tudun Wada 1,204 228,658 Tudun Wada 710 Doguwa 1,473 150,645 Riruwai 710 Madobi 273 137,685 Madobi 711 Kura 206 143,094 Kura 711 Garun Mallam 214 118,622 Garun Mallam 711 Bebeji 717 191,916 Bebeji 711 Kiru 927 267,168 Kiru 711 Sumaila 1,250 250,379 Sumaila 712 Garko 450 161,966 Garko 712 Takai 598 202,639 Takai 712 Albasu 398 187,639 Albasu 712 Gaya 613 207,419 Gaya 713 Ajingi 714 172,610 Ajingi 713 Wudil 362 188,639 Wudil 713 Warawa 360 131,858 Warawa 713 Dawakin Kudu 384 225,497 Dawakin Kudu 713 Southern Kano State 11,554 3,410,922 710 to 713
Demographics Population According to the 2006 PON census figures, Kano State had a population totalling 9,401,288. Based on the official data by the National Bureau of Statistics,Demographic Statistics Bulletin 2020 Kano is the most populous state in the country followed by Lagos State. The state is mostly populated by the Hausa and Fulani people.
Languages The official languages of Kano State are Hausa and Fulfulde. Several Kainji languages, namely Moro, Kurama, and Map, are also spoken in the Doguwa local government area.
Notable people
Sani Abacha (1943–1998), 10th Military Head of State of Nigeria Ja'afar Mahmud Adam (1960–2007), a popular Islamic scholar Dije Abdu Aboki (born 1964), jurist and the first female Chief Judge of Kano State Nazifi Asnanic, kannywood actor and musician Mubarak Bala, atheist and president of the Humanist Association of Nigeria; is currently imprisoned for comments he made on social media about Islam. Aminu Ala, Nigerian Hausa-language musician and writer. Aliko Dangote (born 1957), Nigerian business magnate and philanthropist, Africa's richest person Aminu Dantata (born 1931), Nigerian business magnate and philanthropist Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, Islamic preacher Abdullahi Umar Ganduje (born 1949), Nigerian politician and Kano State Governor from 2015 to 2023 Ahmad Sulaiman Ibrahim, Islamic preacher Nura M Inuwa, Hausa musician Ali Jita, Hausa musician