“Gov Sani Puts People First With Bold Humanist Programmes In Kaduna”

Kaduna’s Quiet Revolution: How Governor Uba Sani is Rewriting the State’s Story

The first light of dawn spills over the rooftops in Zaria. Aisha, just 15 but already dreaming beyond the narrow streets of her neighbourhood, adjusts her schoolbag and skips toward the new classroom at the end of her street.

Only two years ago, her mornings began with a weary two-hour walk down dusty roads to a dilapidated school miles away.

Today, that journey has been replaced by a short walk to one of the 62 junior secondary schools newly built under Governor Uba Sani’s administration. “I used to walk miles,” she says with quiet determination.

“Now I study close to home. I want to be a doctor.”

Aisha’s story is part of a larger transformation—of a Kaduna once crippled by insecurity, poor infrastructure, and eroding public trust. Now, it is slowly but steadily reclaiming its promise, led by a governor who has made people the centrepiece of governance.

When Governor Uba Sani assumed office on May 29, 2023, Kaduna was reeling from a combination of economic distress and security breakdowns.

According to iReporter Online, widespread disillusionment had taken root in many communities. Roads were broken, bandits ravaged rural areas, and the social contract between government and citizens was strained.

But Governor Sani brought with him a new kind of leadership—one grounded in empathy, clarity of purpose, and an ambitious blueprint called SUSTAIN, aimed at rebuilding the state from the ground up.

Education: A Renewed Hope

Education was the first priority. Nearly 680,000 children were out of school when the governor took office—a crisis threatening future generations. That number has since dropped by 44 percent.

In areas like Kagarko and Kachia, classrooms now hum with eager voices, dropout rates are falling, and learning is back on track.

Fatima, a young woman from southern Kaduna, once believed her educational journey would end after secondary school. But a 40 percent tuition cut made it possible for her to attend university.

“I’m the first in my family to get this far,” she says, hugging her nursing textbooks. “I will make them proud.”

Technology has also helped close the digital gap. More than 50,000 students—many in remote areas—are now learning through e-learning platforms, extending education beyond classroom walls.

Health: Life-Saving Upgrades

The transformation in healthcare is equally profound. In Soba, Zainab had once feared giving birth due to the poor state of nearby clinics.

But when labour started, she found comfort in a newly upgraded primary health centre—one of 255 improved across the state. “I didn’t lose my baby or my savings,” she says, cradling her newborn.

According to iReporter Online, maternal mortality has dropped by 15 percent in the past two years—a significant milestone for thousands of families across Kaduna.

For others, like Hassan the farmer, health care has arrived via screen.

He now consults doctors through a telemedicine platform from his rural village, saving time and money. “It’s like the hospital came to me,” he laughs.

Infrastructure: Rebuilding the Backbone

Kaduna’s roads and water infrastructure are also seeing remarkable upgrades. In the metropolis, the once-abandoned Kabala–Costain–Aliyu–Makama Bridge now bustles with traffic. New roads in Igabi connect farmers to markets and children to schools.

Most notably, a ₦100 billion investment has restored clean, running water to over one million households. For many families, this means no longer spending a significant portion of their income on water from private vendors.

In the fields of Igabi, the rhythm of agricultural prosperity has returned. Farmers like Ibrahim are smiling again—thanks to free fertilizer, new irrigation tools, and functioning processing plants.

A new ₦80 billion soya bean refinery now processes half a million litres of oil daily, creating over 1,500 jobs and supporting thousands more.

Governance: Trust Restored

Government offices that were once plagued by inefficiency and corruption are being transformed. With 70% of public services now digitised, residents process documents and payments on their phones. Complaints are resolved in days, not months.

According to iReporter Online, Kaduna is now seen as a model of fiscal responsibility, especially given the over ₦1 trillion in inherited debt. No new loans have been taken, salaries are paid promptly, and billions have been saved through disciplined financial management.

Security: Peace Returns

Perhaps the most remarkable transformation is the return of peace.

Through a mix of community dialogue, intelligence-led security, and strategic deployment of 7,000 trained vigilantes, incidents of banditry have significantly declined. For the first time in years, Kaduna has recorded zero ethno-religious crises.

In Birnin Gwari, where fear once dominated, markets have reopened. “We sleep without fear now,” says Musa, a local trader. “Peace is priceless.”

Clean streets, well-maintained parks, and vibrant neighbourhoods now define parts of Kaduna metropolis. A team of 2,400 sweepers maintains public spaces, and waterborne diseases are on the decline.

Jobs, Innovation, and the People’s Governor

Over ₦152 billion in new investments have created more than 21,000 jobs across sectors—from lithium extraction in Kangimi to agro-processing hubs. The administration has not only attracted industry, but has also ensured that growth is inclusive.

And while the physical transformation is visible, what resonates most deeply with the people is Governor Uba Sani himself.

In villages, markets, and farmlands, the refrain is the same: “Governor Sani listens.”

He is present—not just in policy but in people’s lives.

President Bola Tinubu has described him as a “game changer.” But to the people of Kaduna, he is something simpler: hope, made real.

From bustling schools to modern clinics, from cleaner streets to safer villages, Kaduna is writing a new chapter—one of resilience, opportunity, and people-first leadership.

This is more than governance. It is a quiet revolution. And as Kaduna rises, the rest of Nigeria is taking notice—because, as iReporter Online aptly puts it, “when leaders put people first, transformation is not a promise. It is inevitable.”

”IREPORTER REPORTS”