The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is executing a comprehensive economic strategy aimed at transforming Kano State into Northern Nigeria’s leading commercial hub and a major gateway for trade across West Africa.
Speaking in Abuja over the weekend, Yilwatda described the Federal Government’s ongoing infrastructure and industrial investments in Kano and the wider northern corridor as part of a deliberate and coordinated plan to restore the state’s historical status as the economic heartbeat of the North.
According to him, the administration’s vision goes beyond routine development, positioning Kano as a central node for commerce, manufacturing, logistics and transnational trade.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not merely developing Kano; he is redesigning the economic future of Northern Nigeria through Kano,” Yilwatda said. “Kano remains the natural commercial nerve centre of the North and a critical gateway to the West African hinterland.”
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, the APC chairman outlined key infrastructure projects driving this vision. These include the Kaduna–Kano standard gauge railway, expected to link Kano with Abuja and southern Nigeria, and the Kano–Maradi rail line, which will extend trade connectivity into Niger Republic and the broader Sahel region.
He also cited the planned Kano Metropolitan Rail Service, designed to modernise urban transportation, reduce congestion and support the city’s transition into a mega commercial centre.
Yilwatda further highlighted the AKK Gas Pipeline project, which is expected to supply industrial gas to Kano and neighbouring states, boosting manufacturing, fertiliser production and power generation. He added that investments in electricity transmission and ongoing road projects, including the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano highway and the Sokoto–Badagry Super Highway, would enhance connectivity and trade efficiency across the region.
The APC chairman noted that Kano’s strategic importance lies in its large commercial ecosystem, geographical advantage as a gateway to the Sahel, and its historical role in industries such as textiles, leather and agro-processing.
He said the administration’s broader objective is to reduce overreliance on Lagos by developing Kano into Nigeria’s second major commercial centre, while also addressing poverty, unemployment and insecurity through economic expansion in the North.
Yilwatda argued that no previous government had implemented such an integrated infrastructure plan for the region, describing the current approach as a “holistic development model” combining rail, road, energy and trade corridors.
He also criticised opposition parties, accusing them of focusing on political rhetoric rather than offering alternative development plans.
“While the government is building long-term economic infrastructure, the opposition remains preoccupied with power struggles and lacks a clear vision for national development,” he said.
Yilwatda expressed confidence that the ongoing projects would significantly reshape the economic landscape of Northern Nigeria and position Kano as a dominant commercial force in the years ahead.
He added that the administration’s efforts would be remembered as a defining moment in the region’s economic transformation.