Kano gets $110m of AfDB’s $563m infrastructure fund for Nigeria

As part of the African Development Bank’s effort to improve infrastructure in Nigeria, Kano State is set to get $110 million of $563 million the bank is providing.

The $563 million fund would be spent on developing rural roads, transport infrastructure, water, sanitation, and agricultural productivity in Nigeria, The Cable reports.

AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, stating that Kano would get $110 million out of the earmarked amount.

He said, “We are spending $110 million in Kano for our programme on special agricultural industrial processing zone. We are, in all, having about $563 million that will be dedicated to that project in various states of Nigeria,”

“With this $110million that will be used for Kano State, just imagine what we could do. Investing in rural roads, transport infrastructure, water and sanitation, we will also invest in agricultural productivity to raise production of food.”

Adesina noted that the fund would be an opportunity for the state to boost its job creation index which would, in turn, convert rural communities to vibrant economic areas.

“With this programme of hundreds of US dollars, we will help develop consolidated infrastructure in rural areas,”

“That will allow private sector food and agribusiness companies to reduce the number of losses they have, create a more competitive value chain, transform the rural areas from the zones of misery to the zone of economic prosperity and increase the number of resources the state has,” Adesina stated.

The governor, on the other hand, commended the assured the AfDB president of the government’s readiness to ensure the successful implementation of the projects the fund have been provided for.

Ganduje also stated his desire to develop Kano to the status of a megacity where basic infrastructure is not lacking adding that the fund would help achieve his aim.

“This is what we mean by genuine development when institutions are strengthened and individuals or groups of individuals are directly impacted, this is what we mean by genuine development,” Ganduje said.

“My dream is to promote Kano into a megacity, which is not only a collection of the population but also, a collection of an environment where things are working, where traffic flows, where health services are excellent.

“This is aimed at reducing medical tourism abroad and where you can have security using technology,” Ganduje said.

While in Kano, Adesina also paid a condolence visit to the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, over the death of his brother and Vice-President of Dangote Group, Sani Dangote.