Former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, has declared that former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, remains a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) despite rumours of his defection.
Jamoh, a chieftain of the APC in Kaduna state, made the declaration in Kaduna while addressing journalists after a tour of the eight local government areas in Kaduna North Senatorial Zone, where he met grassroots stakeholders and party loyalists.
He described the tour as a move to bolster the party’s base and rally support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani, ahead of the forthcoming by-election and the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to speculations surrounding El-Rufai’s political status, Jamoh maintained that, as far as he is concerned, the former governor is still with the APC.
“We are yet to reach the point where we will say farewell to Malam Nasir El-Rufai. Forget about the politics, when we need his advice, we consult him, and he offers his contributions free of charge,” he said.
According to him, El-Rufai’s experience remains valuable to the party. “You cannot disown your child of eight years. He was governor for eight years under the APC. Even when he was in PDP and later CPC, which merged into APC, he contributed to the building of this party,” Jamoh noted.
He added, “It is his right to take any personal or political decision. But where we want to tap into his knowledge and experience for the benefit of the state and the party, we will always do so. Our doors are open, and I believe his are too.”
While acknowledging El-Rufai’s recent association with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jamoh dismissed it as a developing situation. “You don’t name a child until there is a successful delivery. Let’s wait and see how the ADC process ends. Who will be the party leader, who will emerge presidential candidate, and what structure will be in place? Until then, we will watch.”
He reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC and declared the party as the “field marshal” of Nigerian politics. “Have you ever seen a field marshal frightened by a non-commissioned officer? APC remains the field marshal,” he quipped.
Jamoh said defections are part of democracy but insisted the APC remains strong in Kaduna and nationally, reiterating his support for the Tinubu-Uba Sani alliance, likening it to a political marriage that must be nurtured. “Even when your wife is no longer young, you don’t send her packing. Tinubu is our partner in this political marriage,” he said.
He also confirmed receiving calls to contest the Kaduna North senatorial seat in 2027. “Yes, my constituents have called on me to contest. I have written to the stakeholders, seeking their advice and prayers,” he disclosed.
Jamoh urged APC members to remain focused and united ahead of the 2027 polls. “This is not the time for distractions. Let’s consolidate our gains and ensure continuity in good governance,” he added.
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has dismissed claims that northern Nigeria is being marginalised under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, insisting that northerners occupy key positions and are fully represented in national governance.
Speaking to journalists at the State House over the weekend following a meeting with the President on Friday, Governor Sani described the marginalisation narrative as “false” and urged stakeholders to focus instead on collaborative solutions to the region’s developmental challenges.
“You cannot be talking about marginalisation when the Minister of Defence, Minister of State for Defence, the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the Chief of Army Staff are all from northern Nigeria. Even the heads of Civil Defence and Immigration are northerners. Agriculture, health—these are also led by northerners. The record speaks for itself”, Sani said.
While acknowledging the socio-economic and security difficulties plaguing the region, the governor stressed that these challenges are historical and require collective action.
“The problems of northern Nigeria are deep-rooted. Government alone cannot fix them. We need unity among our leaders, business elites, religious groups, and civil society to drive change,” he stated.
He referenced the recent Arewa House summit held in Kaduna on July 29–30, describing it as “historic and commendable.”
The meeting brought together about 80 government officials and a wide array of stakeholders—from academics and traditional rulers to market women and youth leaders—to deliberate on the region’s future.
“For the first time, such a diverse group met to take a holistic look at our challenges. We agreed, based on data, that no zone in the North is being marginalised”, Sani said.
On education and youth development, Governor Sani painted a sobering picture, citing a 2023 UNICEF report which revealed that 18.5 million children were out of school in Nigeria, with 70 to 80 percent in the North.
“This is not a new problem. In 2019, the numbers were similar. We must change this trajectory with targeted interventions”, he explained.
He called on the North’s wealthy elite to step up and invest in resolving the region’s education and poverty crises.
“The richest man in Africa is from the North. Many of our top business leaders are northerners. We need their support, not just government efforts, to turn things around,” he said.
Governor Sani also briefed the President on key development initiatives in Kaduna, highlighting progress in transport infrastructure.
“We are working closely with the federal government on a light rail project to complement our BRT system, which began six months ago,” he said.
In healthcare, the governor revealed that construction has commenced on a cancer treatment centre at the state’s 300-bed Bolami Julio Specialist Hospital, following an agreement reached with President Tinubu during his recent visit to the state.
Providing updates on the Abuja–Kaduna road project, Sani confirmed that the Federal Executive Council has released ₦200 billion for its completion.
“Initially, the plan was to finish the road in 14 months, but with this new momentum, we aim to complete it within eight months,” he said.
Addressing security concerns, the governor pointed to the recruitment of 7,000 local vigilantes, who have contributed significantly to intelligence gathering.
“Security is not just about military action. It also involves addressing the economic and social root causes of violence,” he stressed.
He concluded by reaffirming the Tinubu administration’s commitment to peace and development in the Northwest, saying “this government is determined to tackle insecurity through a comprehensive strategy that includes socio-economic upliftment. We are optimistic about the path ahead.”
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, will on Saturday flag off the state’s unprecedented free fertiliser distribution scheme targeting 100,000 smallholder farmers across the 23 LGAs.
A committee of specialists in ICT, agro-allied industry, elders, notably Gen Zamani Lekwot and cleric Sheikh Mahmud Gumi were at hand to ensure the success of the event.
Others are security agents, senior media practitioners and council chairmen, all led by the Commissioner of Agriculture — Murtala Dabo, who all had busy weeks brainstorming on how best to make the distribution uniquely historic.
The exercise, described as the most extensive in the country, will kick off with 300 truckloads of fertiliser to be distributed free of charge to vulnerable farmers. Meanwhile, investors in commercial Agriculture, according to Dabo, will also get the fertilisers at rock-bottom prices.
To ensure a transparent and hitch-free rollout, the powerful multi-stakeholder committee—comprising religious leaders, civil society groups, labour unions, LG officials, and security agencies have rounded up their planning activities on Thursday, Geraldine, the Agric Ministry’s deployment of the truckload to Murtala Square ahead of time.
Governor Uba Sani has vowed that no farmer will be left behind, assuring that security and logistics have been fully mobilised for a smooth and equitable distribution.
It would be recalled that last year, no fewer than 500 trucks were distributed to over 120,000 smallholder farmers, boosting agricultural yields.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani yesterday said President Tinubu is honouring his promises to the North, adding that his efforts in security, education, infrastructure, agriculture, and financial inclusion are “bold, tangible outcomes” of his Renewed Hope Agenda.
The governor, who hosted the interactive forum organised by Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, said President Tinubu’s commitments to the region before his election were not mere campaign rhetoric, but solemn covenants that are being fulfilled.
Sani noted that the President, who addressed the forum as a presidential aspirant two years ago, had laid out a vision rooted in “renewal, integration and rapid development” for the North and shown determination to actualise it.
He said: “As governor of Kaduna State, former Senator, and a proud son of the North, I offer this response, not from a point of political partisanship, but as one engaged in the journey of regional transformation.
“Yes — since assuming office, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu has doggedly kept faith with the North.”
Noting that the North’s challenges are deep-rooted and predate the Tinubu administration, Sani urged critics to view the President’s tenure within the context of decades of policy neglect and exclusion that have plagued the region.
He said: “It is unjust and politically misleading to hold the administration solely accountable for the crisis that predates the tenure of the current President.”
The governor listed the gains in security under the Tinubu Administration, noting that Kaduna State, which was under siege from terrorism and banditry a year ago, has witnessed a turnaround due to a composite approach that blends military strategy with community engagement.
Sani stressed: “The Kaduna Peace Model — a paradigm blend of proactive security, dialogue and institutional alignment — is yielding results.
“Ghost towns have come alive, markets reopened, and peace is gradually returning to volatile communities.”
The governor commended President Tinubu for his unflinching support, alongside the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and top defence chiefs, whose “gallantry fills us with pride.”
On education, Sani said the President has shown strong commitment by revamping public schools, expanding access and launching a comprehensive student loan scheme.
He also highlighted strides in healthcare, saying that over 1,000 primary healthcare centres have been revitalised across the North, with Kaduna alone upgrading 255 to higher service levels, while maternal and child health access has improved.
On economic inclusion, the governor highlighted initiatives that have brought millions of vulnerable citizens into the formal financial system, noting that the
Administration is prioritising dignity through access to credit and digital tools.
Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has affirmed that President Bola Tinubu is keeping his promises to Northern Nigeria, citing significant progress in security, education, infrastructure, agriculture, and financial inclusion as proof of his commitment under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the two-day interactive session organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation in Kaduna, Governor Sani described the President’s achievements as “bold, tangible outcomes” of promises made to the region.
He recalled that Tinubu had addressed the same forum two years ago as a presidential aspirant, outlining a vision anchored on renewal, integration, and rapid development for the North — a vision the President is now actively implementing, according to the governor.
“As Governor of Kaduna State, former Senator, and a proud son of the North, I offer this response not from a point of political partisanship, but as one engaged in the journey of regional transformation. Yes — since assuming office, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu has doggedly kept faith with the North,” he said.
While admitting that the North’s challenges are deep-rooted and predate Tinubu’s administration, Governor Sani urged critics to view the President’s tenure within the context of decades of policy neglect and exclusion that have plagued the region.
“It is unjust and politically misleading to hold the administration solely accountable for the crisis that predates the tenure of the current President,” he said.
He listed gains in security under the Tinubu administration, noting that Kaduna State, which was under siege from terrorism and banditry just a year ago, has witnessed a turnaround due to a composite approach that blends military strategy with community engagement.
“The Kaduna Peace Model — a paradigm blend of proactive security, dialogue and institutional alignment — is yielding results. Ghost towns have come alive, markets reopened, and peace is gradually returning to volatile communities,” Sani said.
The Governor commended President Tinubu for his unflinching support, alongside the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and top defence chiefs, whose “gallantry fills us with pride.”
On education, Sani lamented the high number of out-of-school children in the North, calling it a humanitarian crisis, but said the President has shown strong commitment by revamping public schools, expanding access and launching a comprehensive student loan scheme.
He also pointed to strides in healthcare, saying over 1,000 primary healthcare centres have been revitalised across the North, with Kaduna alone upgrading 255 to higher service levels, while maternal and child health access has improved.
In economic inclusion, the Governor highlighted initiatives that have brought millions of vulnerable citizens into the formal financial system, noting that Tinubu’s administration is prioritising dignity through access to credit and digital tools.
“Financial inclusion is about ensuring that a farmer in Giwa, a market woman in Kachia, and a youth in Zaria each has a stake in our economy and our collective future,” he said.
Sani also praised federal investments in infrastructure, such as the Sokoto–Badagry Superhighway and the Kaduna–Kano and Kano–Maradi rail corridors, describing them as transformative projects long overdue for the region.
On agriculture, he said the North is witnessing a quiet revolution, with agribusiness replacing subsistence farming, climate-smart practices improving resilience, and rural livelihoods being reshaped.
“No President has in the history of Nigeria supported sub-nationals in agricultural transformation as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he declared.
He stressed that key northern figures now occupy influential positions in the administration, not as tokens, but as drivers of reform and national integration.
“Governance flourishes when it is inclusive. No president, no governor, no minister thrives alone. That is why this forum is not ornamental; it is catalytic,” he said.
Governor Sani urged participants at the forum to draw inspiration from the legacy of Sir Ahmadu Bello by moving beyond analysis and rhetoric into action that will truly renew the region’s fortunes.
When history pens the renaissance of Kaduna State, it will not overlook the significance of July 21, 2025 — a date now etched in gold across the annals of restitution, leadership, and recovery. It was on this day that Governor Uba Sani, with solemn resolve and visible compassion, led the commissioning of Phase One of the Qatar Sanabil Project, distributing dignified homes to families who had endured the searing wrath of banditry. This event was not simply ceremonial. It was redemptive. It was, in its truest form, an act of healing — a moment when the distance between governance and humanity collapsed, and the powerful hand of leadership became a tender balm for wounded souls.
Governor Uba Sani did not just unveil infrastructure; he unveiled justice with concrete, handed over compassion in the form of keys, and offered the gift of belonging to those whose lives had been defined by loss. Where once there was silence, sorrow, and displacement, now stand homes, symbols of resilience and monuments to the State’s refusal to forget its people. Under his administration, peace is no longer an elusive prayer whispered through tears; it is a living reality crafted through vision, strategy, and sacrifice.
For more than a decade, Kaduna bore the brunt of violence that threatened to eviscerate its soul. Banditry, kidnappings, arson, and wanton killings stripped entire communities of their identity. Farms lay fallow. Markets were shuttered. Schools fell silent, and dreams lay scattered among ashes. The Kaduna–Abuja expressway, once a vital artery of commerce and connectivity, became synonymous with dread and death. Investors took flight, families scattered, and governance itself trembled under the weight of chaos.
It was into this crucible of despair that Senator Uba Sani stepped on May 29, 2023. The task before him was Herculean. But he approached it not with fear or fanfare, but with the quiet, firm resolve of a man intimately acquainted with the pains and promise of his people. He understood that to restore Kaduna, he would need to be more than Governor. He would need to be a listener, a builder, a reconciler, and above all, a servant of justice.
Governor Sani adopted a dual philosophy: a kinetic response to dismantle the architecture of violence, and a non-kinetic, people-centered model to rebuild the social fabric. His blueprint, shaped by consultations with traditional rulers, community leaders, security operatives, and victims, culminated in what is now known as the Kaduna Peace Model — an inclusive framework that understands that peace is not imposed from above, but nurtured from within.
He took his security masterplan directly to the top: the National Security Adviser, the Chiefs of Defence, and the Service Chiefs. He argued not just with facts, but with heart — for more Forward Operating Bases, better troop coordination, and a grassroots-informed approach. And they listened. Under his stewardship, the Kaduna–Abuja highway was reopened. The infamous rail corridor resumed operations. Farmers returned to their land. Markets, long closed, came back to life. And fear began to loosen its decades-old grip.
But Governor Uba Sani knew that physical security was only half the battle. Restoration required not just the absence of violence, but the presence of dignity. Thus emerged his signature collaboration with Qatar Charity, resulting in the Qatar Sanabil Project. With two transformational arms — mass housing for the underserved and the creation of an economic city — the initiative is set to directly impact more than half a million vulnerable citizens. The symbolism could not be clearer: where bandits once sowed destruction, a new city of hope is being born.
The partnership between Qatar Charity Foundation and the Kaduna State Government under Governor Uba Sani on the Qatar Sanabil Project reflects a shared vision for sustainable development, rooted in transparency, accountability, and impact. Governor Uba Sani’s leadership has been marked by integrity, inclusiveness, and a firm commitment to improving the lives of the most vulnerable. His administration’s focus on infrastructure, social investment, and economic empowerment has earned wide recognition, making Kaduna a reliable destination for international development partnerships.
Qatar Charity, known for its global humanitarian footprint and dedication to transformative community projects, finds in Kaduna a partner equally committed to responsible governance and measurable outcomes. The Qatar Sanabil initiative, which aims to deliver 500,000 housing units and develop a model economic city, is a bold step towards alleviating poverty and restoring dignity through integrated housing, healthcare, education, and livelihoods.
This collaboration is underpinned by mutual trust and a shared commitment to excellence. The Kaduna State Government offers a stable, transparent, and enabling environment — hallmarks of Governor Sani’s administration — while Qatar Charity brings expertise, resources, and a proven track record in large-scale humanitarian interventions. Together, they are setting a new benchmark for development partnerships in Africa.
In essence, the Qatar Sanabil Project is more than a housing scheme — it is a symbol of visionary leadership and global solidarity. It embodies what can be achieved when integrity meets innovation, and when a government’s commitment to its people aligns with an international organisation’s mission to serve humanity.
The commissioning of Phase One of the project was particularly poignant. The beneficiaries were families who had lost husbands, fathers, mothers, and children to the cruel arithmetic of banditry. But they were no longer just statistics. That day, they were seen, honoured, and uplifted. Governor Sani’s words rang with gravity: “Shelter is not merely physical. It is emotional, psychological, and spiritual. It is the bedrock of human dignity.”
This vision extends beyond housing. Alongside the homes, his administration distributed empowerment tools — cargo bikes, tricycles, grinding machines, salon kits, and welding equipment — so that widows, youth, and the unemployed could stand with renewed self-worth. A school, a health clinic, and a skills acquisition center were inaugurated — all pillars of a future that refuses to be haunted by its past.
This wasn’t a showcase; it was a statement. A declaration that under Uba Sani, Kaduna would never again be a theatre of forgotten tragedies. It would be a place of restored faith, reclaimed purpose, and relentless progress.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, represented by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, echoed this sentiment. “Under your stewardship,” he said to the Governor, “Kaduna is transforming from an epicenter of violent attacks to a model of stability and peace. You are wiping the tears of victims, reconciling communities, and giving everyone a sense of belonging.” These were not platitudes. They were earned affirmations: testimonies to a leadership that has not only confronted pain, but transformed it.
The success of Kaduna’s peace strategy lies in its nuance. It recognises that justice must be served, but also that healing must be offered. Through a carefully crafted Disarmament, Demobilisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration (DDRR) programme, bandits who laid down their arms were given a chance to choose peace. In the difficult terrain of Giwa, Chikun, Kajuru, Birnin Gwari and Kagarko, some of the most notorious insurgents surrendered and embraced reintegration. Their surrender was not a capitulation to government power, but a recognition that peace, when honestly brokered, is more powerful than violence.
This initiative was never about appeasement, nor about turning a blind eye to past crimes. It was, in its finest form, about giving peace a face, a home, and a future. Dr. James Kanyip, Kaduna’s Commissioner for Internal Security, rightly defended this strategy: “The peace process itself is within the confines of the rule of law. The entire constitution is about guaranteeing peace and welfare. If that peace is attained through a constitutionally sound peace process, why not?”
Governor Uba Sani understood that peace must be durable. To that end, he signed the Kaduna State Security Trust Fund Bill, repealing the older 2018 version, and allowing private sector involvement in financing security. This wasn’t just legal housekeeping; it was a strategic stroke to anchor progress in sustainable funding and multi-sectoral collaboration.
Beyond very close collaborations with the nation’s Armed Forces, the Police and other security agencies, Governor Uba Sani revitalised the Kaduna Vigilante Service, recruiting and training thousands of new personnel and arming them with equipment and purpose. And perhaps most importantly, he restored confidence among citizens, allowing security to become a shared civic responsibility. His regular security briefings with community leaders helped decentralise the security conversation, making every citizen a stakeholder in peace.
Governor Sani’s leadership is not merely institutional; it is deeply human. His voice trembled with emotion as he addressed victims and survivors, not as a politician speaking to constituents, but as a brother speaking to his own. “You are not forgotten. You are our heroes,” he told them. “We do not merely give you homes; we return dreams to the dreamers.”
Such sentiments are not common in politics. But neither is Governor Uba Sani. He has chosen a path not of convenience, but of conscience — one that trades applause for action, popularity for purpose, and power for service.
His approach to governance carries the weight of empathy and the urgency of justice. It reminds us that governance, at its noblest, is not about control or ccontroversies. It is about love — love made visible in policies, buildings, laws, and lives transformed. His is a government with a soul. A leadership that listens, learns, and lifts.
This is why Kaduna under Uba Sani is not merely recovering; it is rising. Rising from the ashes of war. From the trauma of displacement. From the silence of mourning. It is rising with dignity, innovation, and unshakable faith in the possibility of peace.
Governor Uba Sani has declared that the Phase One of the Qatar Sanabil Project is only the beginning. More homes will be built. More lives will be uplifted. More peace will be brokered, not through the barrel of a gun, but through the patient, firm, and principled hand of leadership. The Qatar Sanabil Project will continue, as will multiple other social housing and investment initiatives aimed at economic inclusion and human development.
And in all of it, his guiding star remains constant: the welfare, safety, and dignity of the people of Kaduna State.
So when the future looks back upon this time, let it not speak only of the violence that once reigned. Let it tell of a people who refused to surrender their humanity to hatred. Let it tell of leaders who chose integrity over indifference. Let it tell of Uba Sani — a Governor who met crisis not with cold calculations, but with warm resolve. Let it say of him: “He did not govern from above. He stood with his people, heart to heart, hand-in-hand.”
Let it be remembered that in Kaduna’s hour of need, love found form in policy, healing found shape in homes, and peace was built not merely with mortar, but with moral clarity. Through powerful acts of restitution, Governor Uba Sani is not just rebuilding Kaduna — he is redeeming its soul.
•Ahmed Ibrahim Yusuf, a Freelance Journalist, Writes From Barnawa, Kaduna
Governor Uba Sani has broken a century-old jinx with the construction of a 35-kilometre rural road linking Gadan Gayan in Igabi LGA to Gwaraji and Maraban Kujama in Chikun LGA, and Kauru town in Kauru LGA of Kaduna State.
The long-abandoned road project has sparked widespread jubilation among residents, who described the development as transformational and life-changing.
During an inspection led by the Managing Director of the Kaduna State Road Agency (KADRA), Dr. Abdullahi Baba Ahmed, grateful community members shared how the road has improved transportation and boosted livelihoods.
Daniel Samuel, a healthcare worker from Gwaraji, called the road a “game-changer,” noting that the previously unsafe and costly journey from Maraban Kujama to his workplace in Igabi is now smooth, safe, and more affordable.
“I now ride my bike to work instead of relying on expensive and unreliable public transport. This road has saved me money and time,” he said.
Another resident, Ibrahim Ardo, said the road had connected communities that had existed for over a century without proper infrastructure. He recalled that the only way to reach Kunfana from Gwaraji in the past was by canoe across the River Kaduna.
“With the new bridge and road, commerce is flowing, and hope is returning. This project is beyond infrastructure — it’s a new lease of life,” Ardo said.
Comrade Samuel Musa from Kauru town also recounted the impact of the newly constructed road linking Kauru to Pambeguwa in Kubau LGA. According to him, a trip that previously took two hours now takes less than 20 minutes.
“This is a big relief for our farming communities. We can now transport our produce to markets with ease and at less cost,” he said.
Speaking during the tour, Dr. Baba Ahmed said the 35km road was one of several rural transformation projects being championed by Governor Uba Sani to bridge the urban-rural divide.
“This project is not just about connectivity; it’s about economic inclusion, social integration, and job creation,” he said.
He noted that the improved road network would allow farmers in the region to access markets more efficiently and boost Kaduna’s agricultural potential.
The KADRA boss also charged contractors handling state infrastructure projects to maintain high standards, assuring that KADRA would sustain strict supervision to ensure value for money and long-term durability.
“Our goal is to deliver quality infrastructure that promotes growth, fosters development, and improves the quality of life for all citizens of Kaduna State,” Dr. Ahmed added.
Kaduna State Governor Senator Uba Sani, has signed into law a bill establishing the Kaduna Mining Development Company (KMDC), marking a strategic move to tap into the state’s abundant mineral resources, enhance internally generated revenue (IGR), and create employment opportunities.
The new law provides legal backing for KMDC’s operations, positioning the state to directly benefit from its solid mineral wealth by attracting investments, regulating mining activities, and promoting value addition within the sector.
Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Government House, Governor Sani said the establishment of KMDC aligns with his administration’s economic diversification plan and determination to reduce overreliance on federal allocations.
“With the establishment of the Kaduna Mining Development Company, we are taking a bold step toward unlocking the full potential of our solid minerals sector. This will open new streams of revenue, generate jobs for our youth, and support local economic development,” he said.
The Governor noted that Kaduna is richly endowed with a wide range of solid minerals including gold, lithium, tantalite, kaolin, granite, and gemstones, among others. “The time has come to move from untapped potential to coordinated exploitation and beneficiation that benefits our people,” he added.
Governor Sani reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to leverage strategic sectors — agriculture, mining, technology, and manufacturing — to build a resilient and inclusive economy. “Kaduna is ready for investment. With KMDC, we are sending a clear signal to local and international investors that Kaduna means business,” he said.
According to the new law, KMDC will operate as a commercial entity with a clear mandate to carry out exploration, mining, processing, marketing, and export of solid minerals, while also partnering with private investors to develop mining assets.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Investment Promotion and Economic Development, Dr. Umma Yusuf Aboki, said KMDC will be a game-changer for Kaduna’s economy. She said it would also help formalize artisanal mining activities and ensure environmental sustainability in mining operations across the state.
The law also provides for robust regulation, transparency, and accountability in all KMDC operations, with mechanisms to protect host communities and ensure equitable benefit-sharing.
In a nation often enamoured with the optics of infrastructure – towering flyovers, imposing government edifices, and gleaming new highways – Senator Uba Sani, the Governor of Kaduna State, is carving out a unique legacy. His administration, while making impressive strides in infrastructure across both urban and rural Kaduna, is charting a deeper course — one that views roads and buildings not as ends, but as enablers of a larger mission: the liberation of people from the vicious cycles of multi-dimensional poverty. In just over two years in office, Uba Sani has redefined what it means to govern, taking leadership beyond brick-and-mortar and placing Kaduna on a bold trajectory of human capital development.
In Kaduna State, a striking example of visionary governance has emerged, under the leadership of Senator Uba Sani. While his administration has overseen massive infrastructural investments, especially in rural communities, these visible achievements are not the summit of his ambitions. Governor Uba Sani’s leadership boldly ventures into the realm of human capital development, the vital foundation upon which sustainable growth and societal transformation depend.
Unlike many political leaders whose focus remains largely on erecting physical projects, Governor Uba Sani is a firm believer that to lift the greatest number of Kaduna’s people from the grips of multi-dimensional poverty, government must invest heavily in healthcare, education, agriculture, safety and security. These pillars, he argues, are the bedrock of a resilient society and the pathways to prosperity.
His philosophy aligns closely with that of the globally renowned philanthropist, Bill Gates, who famously asserted: “By unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity — and that path is an exciting thing to be part of.” Governor Uba Sani’s governance is informed by this compelling truth. He understands that multi-dimensional poverty — where deprivation manifests not only in income but in education, health, nutrition, and opportunity — cannot be eliminated by infrastructure alone. It demands deliberate and strategic investments in people.
Governor Uba Sani’s tenure represents a transformative chapter in Kaduna’s development story. From the outset, he set a clear vision: while roads and buildings are essential, the ultimate aim is to empower people through health, education, and economic opportunity.
Kaduna State has indeed witnessed a surge in infrastructural projects under his watch — rural roads that connect farmers to markets, health centers upgraded to provide quality care, schools rehabilitated and built anew, and security facilities enhanced to protect lives and property. These initiatives have brought tangible relief and improved living conditions, especially in communities long neglected.
But Governor Uba Sani insists this is just the beginning. His government’s investments in human capital address the root causes of poverty and social vulnerability, seeking to create a virtuous cycle of opportunity and growth. Good health is a prerequisite for human flourishing. The Governor’s administration has prioritised the revitalisation of healthcare infrastructure across Kaduna, coupled with initiatives to improve service delivery, maternal and child health, and access to essential medicines.
Recognising that illness can entrench families in poverty, the Kaduna State government has supported immunisation programmes, trained health workers, and enhanced rural health clinics. These efforts have reduced mortality rates and improved overall well-being, enabling children to attend school and adults to engage productively in economic activities.
Health investments are not merely reactive but preventative. Governor Uba Sani’s administration supports community health education, emphasising nutrition, sanitation, and disease prevention. By reducing the health burden, Kaduna is building a healthier workforce and more resilient communities.
Governor Uba Sani’s unwavering commitment to education is perhaps the most defining feature of his administration. He regards education not as a service to be administered, but as a powerful tool for individual empowerment and societal transformation.
His comprehensive, systems-based approach to educational reform embodies this conviction. It spans improving access, modernising infrastructure, enhancing teacher capacity, and leveraging technology to deliver quality learning experiences.
At the KADA EduPACT International Summit 2025, Governor Uba Sani articulated a bold vision for the Kaduna State Education Model. He emphasised moving beyond fragmented efforts to a unified, data-driven, forward-looking strategy that centers children and youth within the state’s development agenda.
His administration has reduced tuition fees in state-owned tertiary institutions by 40%, leading to significant enrollment increases. This ensures that no child is denied education because of financial hardship — a major barrier in many parts of Nigeria.
Moreover, his administration’s Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project exemplifies his resolve to eradicate educational exclusion. Over 1,000 classrooms have been constructed or rehabilitated; 62 new secondary schools commissioned; and instructional materials worth millions distributed. A digital-first strategy supports school operations, while real-time data dashboards track enrollment, attendance, and completion to guide policy.
Governor Uba Sani recognises that academic education is only part of the solution. For youth empowerment and economic resilience, skills acquisition and vocational education are critical.To this end, his administration has established three Institutes of Vocational Training and Skills Development at Rigachikun, Samaru Kataf, and Soba, all commissioned in June 2025 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. These centers are certified by the National Board for Technical Education as Nigeria’s best-equipped skills development hubs.
The Institutes offer training in welding, solar technology, information technology, artificial intelligence, and other trades, preparing Kaduna’s youth for the rapidly evolving job market. These centers aim to position Kaduna as a national hub of technical excellence, bridging the persistent skills gap that hampers local economic growth.
The iconic Panteka Market, Africa’s largest informal skills center, has undergone modernisation, equipped with state-of-the-art tools and training aligned with the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework. This upgrade is designed to uplift over 38,000 apprentices, preserving traditional craftsmanship while introducing modern techniques and certifications.
Governor Uba Sani’s human capital investment philosophy extends fundamentally to agriculture — a sector where the majority of Kaduna’s poor find their livelihood.
He understands that when people live in poverty, many rely on subsistence farming with little or no cash income. Such dependence leaves families vulnerable to climatic shocks, food insecurity, malnutrition, and the inability to afford education or healthcare.
Thus, Governor Uba Sani is aggressively investing in agriculture and agribusiness. Kaduna’s agriculture budget has skyrocketed from N1.4 billion in 2023 to N74.2 billion in 2025, reflecting the priority accorded to food security, rural livelihoods, and economic diversification.
He has initiated large-scale projects like the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) in Chikun LGA, backed by the African Development Bank, aimed at transforming Kaduna into Nigeria’s agro-industrial capital. The Governor’s vision aligns with a continental aspiration: Africa should more than double its agricultural productivity, transitioning from a net food importer to a net exporter. This shift would underpin food security, rural prosperity, and broad-based economic growth.
Governor Uba Sani is well aware that no amount of development can thrive without peace and security. His administration has made the restoration of safety a top priority.
Through a combination of community engagement, intelligence-driven operations, and inter-agency collaboration, Kaduna has witnessed profound improvements in security. Safe communities enable children to attend school, farmers to cultivate their lands, and businesses to flourish. The Governor acknowledges that security is integral to human capital development — without it, education, health, and economic initiatives falter.
Governor Uba Sani’s vision for human capital is complemented by efforts to broaden financial inclusion and economic participation. His 2023 Executive Order on financial inclusion resulted in the registration of over 2.5 million previously unbanked Kaduna citizens, facilitated by innovative fintech solutions like Credo and PocketMoni. This initiative has empowered thousands to save, access credit, and engage in entrepreneurship — crucial to lifting households out of poverty.
The Kaduna Economic and Financial Inclusion Summit (KEFIS) held earlier this year, further amplified this agenda, fostering partnerships that enable inclusive economic growth.
What distinguishes Governor Uba Sani is his holistic, human-centered approach to governance. For him, infrastructure is indispensable but insufficient. He understands that roads and buildings are pathways to opportunity only when people are healthy, educated, and secure enough to take advantage of them.
His administration’s multi-sectoral investments are deliberate, mutually reinforcing interventions aimed at unleashing human potential. These investments embrace a future where Kaduna’s youth can dream, learn, and earn with dignity.
His governance reflects a broader African aspiration captured by Bill Gates’ words: “By unleashing human potential through health and education, every country in Africa should be on a path to prosperity.” Kaduna is on that path, guided by a leader who measures progress not only in kilometers of road built but in lives transformed.
Governor Uba Sani’s vision materialises concretely in initiatives like the KADA EduPACT International Summit 2025. The summit developed a Strategic Roadmap focusing on six pillars: expanded access and equity; quality teaching and learning; sustainable financing; digital transformation; gender equity and inclusion; and system resilience and governance.
This roadmap aims to ensure education is accessible to all, particularly marginalized groups such as girls, learners with disabilities, nomadic populations, and children in conflict-affected areas.
By redesigning curricula to nurture critical thinking, digital literacy, and global citizenship, Kaduna is equipping its youth with the competencies needed in a rapidly changing world.
Governor Uba Sani’s leadership is a beacon illuminating a new paradigm in Nigerian governance — one that goes beyond the allure of infrastructure to embrace the profound and lasting power of human capital development.
Under his stewardship, Kaduna State is not just building roads or erecting structures; it is constructing futures. It is nurturing health, cultivating knowledge, fostering skills, ensuring security, and enabling economic participation. This comprehensive approach is Kaduna’s human renaissance — a bold experiment in inclusive, sustainable development.
Governor Uba Sani’s governance challenges the rest of Nigeria: true development lies not in monuments of concrete and steel, but in the limitless potential of the people. By investing in their health, education, agriculture, and security, Kaduna is charting a path from poverty to prosperity — a path as inspiring as it is necessary.
As the Governor himself articulated, “Let us build an education system that is inclusive, technology-driven, and resilient — one that reflects the best of our people and their boundless potential.” This is governance beyond brick-and-mortar. This is leadership that truly serves. This is the future Kaduna envisions, and it is a future worth embracing.
•Ahmed, A Developmental Expert, lives in Barnawa, Kaduna.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani has declared that education remains the most powerful instrument to combat poverty, unemployment and growing insecurity, vowing to build a resilient system that will outlast political cycles and secure the future of millions of Kaduna’s youth.
Speaking on Wednesday at the opening of the KADA EduPACT International Summit 2025 in Kaduna, Governor Sani said his administration views education not merely as a routine sector to be managed, but as the state’s “smartest economic and security strategy.”
“Education for us is the cornerstone of a peaceful, prosperous and secure society. It is our strongest strategy for economic recovery, poverty reduction, and critically, a guardrail against insecurity,” he told a packed hall at the Umaru Musa Yar’adua Centre, Murtala Square.
The governor said this conviction was why his government, right from inception, adopted a comprehensive, data-driven reform blueprint — investing heavily in school infrastructure, teacher quality, technology deployment and policies that aggressively target girls, children with disabilities, nomadic groups and kids trapped by conflict.
He noted that despite global fiscal pressures, Kaduna State is protecting its education budget, integrating low-cost digital and radio-based learning, and ensuring foundational literacy remains at the heart of all interventions.
Highlighting Kaduna’s bold pivot to skills and jobs, Sani announced that the state has completed three world-class Institutes of Vocational Training and Skills Development in Rigachikun, Samaru Kataf and Soba, certified by the NBTE as Nigeria’s most advanced, even ahead of many polytechnics and universities.
“Our goal is to reposition Kaduna as Nigeria’s hub of technical excellence, close the skills gap slowing our economy, and guarantee sustainable employment for our young people,” he said.
Sani also spoke of the historic upgrade underway at Kaduna’s famous Panteka Market, Africa’s largest informal skills centre with over 38,000 apprentices, which is being transformed with new infrastructure and state-of-the-art training tools under the Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework.
Beyond vocational education, the governor reaffirmed a ₦500 million investment in Kaduna State University (KASU) which recently secured accreditation for 40 new programmes, and the landmark 40 percent tuition reduction across all state tertiary institutions that has triggered a surge in enrolment.
While stating that, no child in Kaduna should be denied education because of financial barriers, the Governor admitted that, Kaduna still faces a sobering reality: a significant population of out-of-school children. Calling it “a stain on our collective conscience and a call to urgent action,”
Sani outlined how under the Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROOSC) Project, the state has constructed or rehabilitated over 1,000 classrooms, established 62 new secondary schools, distributed 1.48 million instructional materials and provided nearly 31,000 two-seater desks all tracked in real time by digital dashboards to better monitor enrolment and completion.
“Our aim is clear: to return at least 300,000 children to school and keep them there,” he stressed.
Turning to the heart of the two-day summit, Sani said EduPACT 2025 is designed to produce a “strategic, realistic and actionable roadmap” anchored on six pillars: expanded access and equity; quality teaching and learning; sustainable financing; digital transformation; gender equity and inclusion; and system resilience underpinned by rigorous monitoring and evaluation.
“This summit must go beyond talk. We must develop timelines, budgets and accountability frameworks that will survive political transitions and truly reflect the hopes and dreams of every child in Kaduna,” he challenged delegates.
Also speaking at the opening, the Chargé d’affaires and British Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mrs. Gill Lever OBE, reaffirmed the UK’s deep commitment to education reform in Nigeria, noting Britain’s role as the summit’s major co-sponsor.
“The UK and Kaduna State have built a strong partnership over the years. Through our PLANE programme, we’ve worked closely with Kaduna to improve foundational learning, teacher quality, and bring out-of-school children back into classrooms,” she said.
“This summit is a great opportunity to share ideas and strengthen collaboration. The UK remains committed to supporting Kaduna’s vision for an education system that works for every child.”
The keynote address was delivered by UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, who praised Kaduna for translating global education promises into local action. “These efforts are especially important now, as education systems everywhere face economic pressures, inequality, and the accelerating impacts of climate change,” she said.
Kaduna’s Commissioner for Education, Professor Abubakar Sani Sambo, described the summit as a pivotal platform to shape a truly transformative education model, applauding Governor Sani’s leadership, especially the unprecedented allocation of 26% of the 2025 state budget to education.
“This deep commitment is already translating into measurable improvements in learning outcomes,” he said.
The event, co-organised by the UK Government through its flagship FCDO-funded PLANE programme, along with UNICEF, the World Bank’s AGILE initiative, Islamic Development Bank, Save the Children, Malala Fund, Miva University and others, seeks to forge a binding educational pact between Kaduna’s government and its citizens, built on shared responsibilities, measurable results and clear priorities.
