Gandun Albasa: How Kano’s Thriving Furniture Hub Empowers Over 5,000 Youth’s and Drives a Billion Naira Local Industry

Gandun Albasa, located near the Kano State International Trade Fair Complex, has emerged as a bustling hub of furniture production, where craftsmanship, innovation, and entrepreneurship converge to provide livelihoods for thousands.

Stretching from Zoo Road to Lawan Danbazau Road, the area is lined with showrooms displaying a wide range of locally made furniture from Turkish-style sofas and elegant dining sets to office desks, kitchen cabinets, and royal chairs are all crafted in workshops scattered around the trade fair complex.

According to Mansur Rabiu, Manager of H. Sarakee Best Furniture, the furniture cluster directly employs over 5,000 people, including carpenters, upholsterers, sprayers, and apprentices.

He added that many others such as food vendors, POS operators, delivery drivers, and materials suppliers to benefit indirectly from the booming trade.

“Our local carpenters are doing excellent jobs to the extent that one can hardly distinguish our products from imported ones,” Rabiu said. “People come here for quality, whether it’s to redecorate their homes or to furnish for weddings. The market is vibrant and constantly expanding.”

He estimated that individual investments in the Gandu Albasa furniture industry collectively exceed ₦1 billion, with many workshops now equipped with modern machinery.

Most materials, including wood and plywood, are sourced locally, while upholstery fabrics come from textile mills in Kaduna.Ali Musa, a sales representative at Arewa Furniture, explained that while many ready-made products are available, office and school furniture are produced strictly on request.

He recalled that the Kano State Government once contracted artisans from the area to produce over 73,800 units of three-seater desks for public schools a project that, he said, boosted confidence in local craftsmanship.Similarly, during the 2024 state-sponsored mass wedding programme, the government purchased all the furniture provided to 1,800 couples from the Gandu Albasa hub, a gesture that strengthened the partnership between local artisans and the state.

The hub also serves as a training ground for aspiring furniture makers. Hassan Naiya, a veteran carpenter and owner of Naiya Furniture, mentors young apprentices from across Kano, providing them with stipends while teaching them key aspects of the trade.” Our goal is to pass on the skills that can sustain them for life,” Naiya said. “Many of our trainees eventually set up their own workshops, creating more jobs and helping reduce unemployment in the state.

”Among his students is Abubakar Sadiq, a student at Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology, Wudil, who juggles his studies with learning carpentry.”University degrees are Important,but having a skill Gives you stability,” Sadiq said. “With carpentry, I can support my education and secure a future even before graduation.”

The Gandu Albasa furniture hub has also become a formidable competitor to major furniture brands in Kano, including Rana Tahir Furniture, known for serving corporate clients and government agencies. Yet, despite such competition, the locally made products from Gandu Albasa continue to attract buyers for their quality, durability, and affordability.Today, the area stands as a shining example of how local enterprise and skills development can power economic growth, reduce unemployment, and showcase the ingenuity of Nigerian artisans.