Kano at 17.5 Million: How Governor Yusuf Is Preparing the Ancient City for Megacity Status

Kano, Nigeria’s ancient commercial city, is fast assuming the character of a modern megacity.

The 2026 World Population Review report puts Kano’s estimated population at 17.5 million, making it the world’s ninth-most populous city, alongside major global urban centres such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu in China, Karachi in Pakistan and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The figure represents a remarkable increase of more than 536,000 people in just one year, translating to an annual growth rate of about 3.16 per cent. If the trend continues, Kano’s population could surpass 20 million by 2030.

The development presents both an opportunity and a warning.

A rapidly growing population can stimulate economic activity, expand markets, attract investment and create opportunities for infrastructure and human-capital development. But without deliberate planning, population growth can also place enormous pressure on housing, transportation, healthcare, education, employment, security, sanitation and the environment.

This is where the question of governance becomes critical.

Interestingly, Kano’s emergence among the world’s most populous cities comes at a time when the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is seeking to revive and implement a long-term development framework for the state through the Kano Master Plan 2025–2045.

The timing could hardly be more significant.
The Numbers Tell the Story
According to data cited in a report published by Trust on August 8, 2026, Kano’s population stood at 3,005,222 in 1991. By 2026, the figure had risen to 17,510,247—more than a five-fold increase in 35 years.

The same report noted that Kano added more than 536,000 people in the preceding year alone. At the current growth rate, the population is projected to exceed 20 million by 2030.

The figures from Nigeria’s official population institutions also demonstrate the scale of Kano’s demographic expansion.

National Population Commission data put Kano State’s population at 5,810,470 in 1991. By 2006, it had increased to 9,401,288.

Subsequent estimates by the National Bureau of Statistics and the National Population Commission placed the figure at about 13.4 million in 2016 and 15.46 million in 2022.

By early 2026, the NPC estimate stood at 16,253,549, with an annual growth rate of 3.27 per cent.

While the figures differ because they come from different methodologies and geographic definitions, one reality is unmistakable: Kano is growing rapidly.

Why Is Kano Growing So Fast?
Kano’s population explosion is not accidental.

Nigeria has one of the highest fertility rates in the world, with northern states carrying a significant share of the country’s demographic growth. Kano is among the states at the forefront of this trend.

Migration is another major factor.

The city has continued to attract people from other parts of northern Nigeria, particularly communities affected by insecurity. For many displaced persons, Kano offers relative stability, established commercial networks, economic opportunities and cultural familiarity.

Its historic role as a commercial centre further strengthens that attraction.

From the centuries-old Kurmi Market to Kantin Kwari, Dawanau and Sabon Gari, Kano remains a major destination for traders, manufacturers, farmers, distributors and consumers.
Its textile industry, agricultural value chains, agro-processing activities and expanding service sector provide livelihoods for millions. At the same time, the physical expansion of the metropolitan area has brought surrounding communities increasingly into the city’s economic and social orbit.

The distinction between urban and rural Kano is therefore becoming increasingly blurred.

From Population Density to Planned Growth
This is where Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s decision to revive the Kano Master Plan assumes importance.

Kano’s first metropolitan 20-year development plan covered the period from 1963 to 1983.

Another attempt was initiated in 2017 during the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, but the process did not progress to full implementation.

The current administration is pursuing the Kano Master Plan 2025–2045, designed to provide a long-term framework for managing the state’s growth.

The plan is expected to address interconnected issues including the economy, housing, healthcare, education, transportation, business development, environmental management, land use and physical planning.

For a city projected to cross the 20-million mark within a few years, long-term planning is no longer a luxury. It is an imperative.

Tackling the Housing Challenge
Housing is perhaps one of the most immediate consequences of rapid population growth.

To address this, the Kano State Government has initiated a Rural Model City Housing Project covering all 36 local government areas of the state. A pilot component includes a N113.19 billion Mass Housing Project in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area.

The objective goes beyond simply constructing houses. Properly planned settlements can help distribute population growth, reduce pressure on the metropolitan core and create more balanced urban development.

The state government is also implementing projects intended to ease congestion within the capital.
Across the eight metropolitan local government areas—Dala, Fagge, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Kumbotso, Nassarawa, Tarauni and Ungogo—598 projects, with a combined contract value of about N299.36 billion, are reportedly being implemented.

These include city-expansion initiatives designed to accommodate Kano’s continuing physical and demographic expansion.

Infrastructure for a Growing Megacity
Population growth without corresponding infrastructure can quickly turn economic opportunity into urban hardship.

Recognising this challenge, the state government is pursuing interventions covering roads, traffic management, street lighting, pedestrian bridges and inter-local government connectivity.

Approximately N159.50 billion is associated with some of these cross-cutting infrastructure interventions, including solar-powered street lighting, wireless solar traffic lights, traffic-management systems, major road expansions, metropolitan road corridors, pedestrian bridges and roads and bridges connecting local government areas.

For Kano, these investments are important because mobility is inseparable from economic productivity.

A trader unable to move goods efficiently, a worker spending hours in traffic, or a business struggling with poor access roads ultimately faces higher costs.

Security as a Condition for Growth
Kano’s commercial strength is one of the reasons people continue to move into the city. But commerce cannot flourish without security.

The state government has therefore established the Kano State Neighborhood Watch Corps as a community-based security initiative designed to support conventional security agencies with local intelligence and help tackle challenges including banditry, thuggery, phone snatching and drug abuse.

The corps has reportedly deployed 2,000 personnel—1,870 men and 130 women—across the 44 local government areas, supported by 88 Hilux vehicles and 440 motorcycles.

For a rapidly expanding city, community-based intelligence can be an important complement to conventional policing.
Human Capital and Social Challenges
A population of 17.5 million cannot be managed through roads and buildings alone.

Healthcare, education, employment and social protection are equally important.

The Yusuf administration is therefore pursuing interventions in healthcare delivery, education, employment creation, ease of doing business and the fight against drug and substance abuse.

The state has also established the Kano State Special Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, chaired by Barrister Muhiyi Magaji Rimingado, complementing the efforts of federal agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

The underlying principle is simple: a growing population becomes an asset only when its people are healthy, educated, productive and secure.

The Team Behind the Agenda
The task of managing a city of Kano’s size cannot rest on the governor alone.
Several members of the administration have roles that directly intersect with the challenges created by rapid population growth.

Among them are the Commissioner for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Nura Ma’aji Sumaila; Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Abdujjabbar Muhammad Umar; Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda; Commissioner for Environment and Supervising Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Dahiru Muhammad Hashim; and Director-General of the Kano Geographic Information System, Dr Dalhatu Sani.

Deputy Governor Murtala Sule Garo has also remained a key member of the administration, working alongside Governor Yusuf in the management of the state.

Their Writing
Kano at 17.5 Million: How Governor Yusuf Is Preparing the Ancient City for Megacity Status
By [Author’s Name]
Kano, Nigeria’s ancient commercial city, is fast assuming the character of a modern megacity.
The 2026 World Population Review report puts Kano’s estimated population at 17.5 million, making it the world’s ninth-most populous city, alongside major global urban centres such as Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Chengdu in China, Karachi in Pakistan and Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The figure represents a remarkable increase of more than 536,000 people in just one year, translating to an annual growth rate of about 3.16 per cent. If the trend continues, Kano’s population could surpass 20 million by 2030.
The development presents both an opportunity and a warning.
A rapidly growing population can stimulate economic activity, expand markets, attract investment and create opportunities for infrastructure and human-capital development. But without deliberate planning, population growth can also place enormous pressure on housing, transportation, healthcare, education, employment, security, sanitation and the environment.
This is where the question of governance becomes critical.
Interestingly, Kano’s emergence among the world’s most populous cities comes at a time when the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is seeking to revive and implement a long-term development framework for the state through the Kano Master Plan 2025–2045.
The timing could hardly be more significant.
The Numbers Tell the Story
According to data cited in a report published by Trust on August 8, 2026, Kano’s population stood at 3,005,222 in 1991. By 2026, the figure had risen to 17,510,247—more than a five-fold increase in 35 years.
The same report noted that Kano added more than 536,000 people in the preceding year alone. At the current growth rate, the population is projected to exceed 20 million by 2030.
The figures from Nigeria’s official population institutions also demonstrate the scale of Kano’s demographic expansion.
National Population Commission data put Kano State’s population at 5,810,470 in 1991. By 2006, it had increased to 9,401,288. Subsequent estimates by the National Bureau of Statistics and the National Population Commission placed the figure at about 13.4 million in 2016 and 15.46 million in 2022.
By early 2026, the NPC estimate stood at 16,253,549, with an annual growth rate of 3.27 per cent.
While the figures differ because they come from different methodologies and geographic definitions, one reality is unmistakable: Kano is growing rapidly.
Why Is Kano Growing So Fast?
Kano’s population explosion is not accidental.
Nigeria has one of the highest fertility rates in the world, with northern states carrying a significant share of the country’s demographic growth. Kano is among the states at the forefront of this trend.
Migration is another major factor.
The city has continued to attract people from other parts of northern Nigeria, particularly communities affected by insecurity. For many displaced persons, Kano offers relative stability, established commercial networks, economic opportunities and cultural familiarity.
Its historic role as a commercial centre further strengthens that attraction.
From the centuries-old Kurmi Market to Kantin Kwari, Dawanau and Sabon Gari, Kano remains a major destination for traders, manufacturers, farmers, distributors and consumers.
Its textile industry, agricultural value chains, agro-processing activities and expanding service sector provide livelihoods for millions. At the same time, the physical expansion of the metropolitan area has brought surrounding communities increasingly into the city’s economic and social orbit.

The distinction between urban and rural Kano is therefore becoming increasingly blurred.

From Population Density to Planned Growth
This is where Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s decision to revive the Kano Master Plan assumes importance.

Kano’s first metropolitan 20-year development plan covered the period from 1963 to 1983.

Another attempt was initiated in 2017 during the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, but the process did not progress to full implementation.

The current administration is pursuing the Kano Master Plan 2025–2045, designed to provide a long-term framework for managing the state’s growth.

The plan is expected to address interconnected issues including the economy, housing, healthcare, education, transportation, business development, environmental management, land use and physical planning.

For a city projected to cross the 20-million mark within a few years, long-term planning is no longer a luxury. It is an imperative.

Tackling the Housing Challenge
Housing is perhaps one of the most immediate consequences of rapid population growth.

To address this, the Kano State Government has initiated a Rural Model City Housing Project covering all 36 local government areas of the state. A pilot component includes a N113.19 billion Mass Housing Project in Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area.

The objective goes beyond simply constructing houses.

Properly planned settlements can help distribute population growth, reduce pressure on the metropolitan core and create more balanced urban development.

The state government is also implementing projects intended to ease congestion within the capital.

Across the eight metropolitan local government areas—Dala, Fagge, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Kumbotso, Nassarawa, Tarauni and Ungogo—598 projects, with a combined contract value of about N299.36 billion, are reportedly being implemented.

These include city-expansion initiatives designed to accommodate Kano’s continuing physical and demographic expansion.

Infrastructure for a Growing Megacity
Population growth without corresponding infrastructure can quickly turn economic opportunity into urban hardship.

Recognising this challenge, the state government is pursuing interventions covering roads, traffic management, street lighting, pedestrian bridges and inter-local government connectivity.

Approximately N159.50 billion is associated with some of these cross-cutting infrastructure interventions, including solar-powered street lighting, wireless solar traffic lights, traffic-management systems, major road expansions, metropolitan road corridors, pedestrian bridges and roads and bridges connecting local government areas.

For Kano, these investments are important because mobility is inseparable from economic productivity.

A trader unable to move goods efficiently, a worker spending hours in traffic, or a business struggling with poor access roads ultimately faces higher costs.

Security as a Condition for Growth
Kano’s commercial strength is one of the reasons people continue to move into the city. But commerce cannot flourish without security.

The state government has therefore established the Kano State Neighborhood Watch Corps as a community-based security initiative designed to support conventional security agencies with local intelligence and help tackle challenges including banditry, thuggery, phone snatching and drug abuse.

The corps has reportedly deployed 2,000 personnel—1,870 men and 130 women—across the 44 local government areas, supported by 88 Hilux vehicles and 440 motorcycles.

For a rapidly expanding city, community-based intelligence can be an important complement to conventional policing.

Human Capital and Social Challenges
A population of 17.5 million cannot be managed through roads and buildings alone.

Healthcare, education, employment and social protection are equally important.

The Yusuf administration is therefore pursuing interventions in healthcare delivery, education, employment creation, ease of doing business and the fight against drug and substance abuse.

The state has also established the Kano State Special Task Force on Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, chaired by Barrister Muhiyi Magaji Rimingado, complementing the efforts of federal agencies such as the Nigeria Police Force, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

The underlying principle is simple: a growing population becomes an asset only when its people are healthy, educated, productive and secure.

The Team Behind the Agenda
The task of managing a city of Kano’s size cannot rest on the governor alone.

Several members of the administration have roles that directly intersect with the challenges created by rapid population growth.

Among them are the Commissioner for Public Procurement, Projects Monitoring and Evaluation, Comrade Nura Ma’aji Sumaila; Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Abdujjabbar Muhammad Umar; Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda; Commissioner for Environment and Supervising Commissioner for Water Resources, Dr Dahiru Muhammad Hashim; and Director-General of the Kano Geographic Information System, Dr Dalhatu Sani.

Deputy Governor Murtala Sule Garo has also remained a key member of the administration, working alongside Governor Yusuf in the management of the state.

Their combined responsibilities span planning, land administration, education, environmental management, water resources, procurement and geographic information—areas that will become increasingly important as Kano continues to expand.

From Density to Development
Kano’s emergence as one of the world’s most populous cities should not merely be celebrated as a demographic milestone.

It should be treated as a call to action.

The city’s population is growing because people see opportunities in Kano. They come because it remains a major commercial centre.

They come because its markets, industries and social networks provide avenues for survival and advancement.

The challenge before government is to ensure that population growth does not overwhelm the very qualities that make Kano attractive.

That requires disciplined urban planning, investment in housing and infrastructure, improved healthcare and education, job creation, environmental protection, effective security and a business-friendly environment.

The proposed Kano Master Plan 2025–2045 therefore comes at a defining moment.

If successfully implemented, it could help transform Kano from merely one of the world’s most densely populated urban centres into one of Africa’s better-planned megacities.
The numbers have announced Kano’s arrival on the global demographic stage.

The real test now is whether governance can convert that population into prosperity.

Kano is no longer simply growing in size. It is growing in significance. The task before its leaders is to ensure that the city grows not only in numbers, but in quality, opportunity and liveability. responsibilities span planning, land administration, education, environmental management, water resources, procurement and geographic information—areas that will become increasingly important as Kano continues to expand.

From Density to Development
Kano’s emergence as one of the world’s most populous cities should not merely be celebrated as a demographic milestone.
It should be treated as a call to action.

The city’s population is growing because people see opportunities in Kano.

They come because it remains a major commercial centre.

They come because its markets, industries and social networks provide avenues for survival and advancement.

The challenge before government is to ensure that population growth does not overwhelm the very qualities that make Kano attractive.

That requires disciplined urban planning, investment in housing and infrastructure, improved healthcare and education, job creation, environmental protection, effective security and a business-friendly environment.

The proposed Kano Master Plan 2025–2045 therefore comes at a defining moment.

If successfully implemented, it could help transform Kano from merely one of the world’s most densely populated urban centres into one of Africa’s better-planned megacities.

The numbers have announced Kano’s arrival on the global demographic stage.

The real test now is whether governance can convert that population into prosperity.

Kano is no longer simply growing in size. It is growing in significance. The task before its leaders is to ensure that the city grows not only in numbers, but in quality, opportunity and liveability.