By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba
My dear country men and women, I feel compelled to express my views plainly, unburdened by any sentiment, but as a citizen who has watched, questioned, and reflected deeply on the state of our nation. In moments like this, honesty becomes a duty rather than a choice, because sometimes, the loudest truths are not spoken, they are lived.
Since the removal of fuel subsidy in May 2023, Nigerians have endured crushing hardships like soaring transport fares, unbearable food prices, rising rents, and shrinking hope. Yet while citizens struggled, states began receiving unprecedented revenues. What separates today’s Nigeria is simple: how that money is used. And as a Kano indigene watching keenly and traveling widely across the country, I can say this without hesitation: Kano is the clearest proof that subsidy removal can work when leadership works.
Last month, I read an article by Hadiza Nasir Ahmad titled “Abba Kabir Yusuf: Learn from Ganduje before Kano collapses.” The title struck me as deeply misleading. I asked myself: what exactly should Governor Abba learn, and from whom? A governor delivering people-centered projects almost like magic? As I read further, I realized her major concern was security. Ironically, perhaps unknown to her at the time, Governor Abba was already set to inaugurate a 2,000-member neighborhood Watch Corps, deployed across all 44 local government areas, a bold, grassroots, multi billion naira security initiative worthy of national emulation. In any case, that is not the focus of this piece.
Let us return to the bigger picture. The removal of PMS subsidy is not just an economic adjustment, it is a revenue event. My assumption and sincere hope were that removing the subsidy would free up fiscal resources to rebuild Nigeria’s broken infrastructure and educate the millions of children roaming the streets. Today, that hope is no longer theoretical. It is happening in Kano.
Across Nigeria, governors openly admit that subsidy removal has boosted their allocations. In 2024 alone, states received trillions more from the Federation Account. Sadly, in many places, the funds disappeared into so-called “legacy projects” that impress billboards but barely touch lives. Kano chose a different path.
Health care is the most striking example. At Hasiya Bayero Paediatric Hospital, thousands of children, both outpatients and inpatients are treated completely free of charge, not with inferior drugs, but with quality medications many families could never afford under normal circumstances, a service from which my family and the overwhelming majority of Kano people have benefited directly or indirectly.
Moreover, Governor Abba’s outstanding performance in health is no accident. The quality and expertise of those leading the sector are exceptional. Dr. Abubakar Labaran, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mansur Nagode, Executive Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, and Professor Salisu Ahmad Ibrahim, Executive Secretary of the Primary Health Care Board, are professionals whose integrity and competence are second to none. The results are evident across facilities in the state. A shining example is Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza, Zonal Director of Sheikh Muhammad Jidda General Hospital, where patients are treated with respect, dignity, and affordability regardless of status or background, something increasingly rare in Nigeria.
Education, humanitarian services, and infrastructure projects are equally visible across Kano’s urban and rural communities. Very recently, the Governor performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the establishment of a polytechnic in Gaya Local Government Area. Development here is not cosmetic; it is deliberate, spread across the state, and focused on ordinary people.
Let me be clear: I am not a politician, neither do I wear red caps. But truth demands honesty. Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is an unsung hero, quietly demonstrating what responsible governance looks like in a difficult time.
Having traveled extensively across Nigeria, I can confidently say that very few states can match Kano’s level of development relative to its resources. Some may point to Lagos, but any serious economist or taxation expert will admit that when outputs are weighed against revenues, Kano stands remarkably tall.
In retrospect, my initial criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s subsidy removal policy was understandable, given the uncertainty and harsh circumstances surrounding it. Today, I see things more clearly. The policy itself is not the main problem. The failure lies with governors who refuse to do the right thing. Kano has shown that when leadership is people-focused, even painful reforms can yield meaningful progress.
In fact, President Tinubu should honestly thank Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano. At the very least, Governor Abba has represented the President excellently. Kano has become a living model of what the President envisioned by removing the fuel subsidy. The state has made it possible for Nigerians to see, practically, what they should ideally be getting in their respective states. More importantly, Kano has given Nigerians a genuine reason to hold their governors accountable, to demand transparency, and to ask hard questions about how subsidy derived funds are being spent. In essence, Governor Abba’s performance has spilled the beans. It has exposed the volume of excess money generated from subsidy removal money every state benefits from, whether citizens feel it or not.
Finally, it must be said, that the performance of the Kwankwasiyya government in Kano is not unusual. It is consistent with a philosophy that prioritizes the masses over media hype and service delivery over political noise. If Nigeria truly wants to understand what the effect of subsidy removal should look like, it should stop listening to excuses and start studying Kano.
Dr. Baba wrote from Kano, and can be reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com
