Kano Emirate Headquarters Faces Ongoing Blackout, Residents Express Frustration

For the past two years, residents of Kano town, the heart of Kano Emirate in Kano State, have been grappling with a persistent power outage, leaving them frustrated and without answers. The town was cut off from the national grid due to frequent theft and vandalism of power assets, and despite their repeated complaints, nothing has changed.

Local businesses are struggling, and the economic gap between Kano and other emirate councils in Kano State is only growing wider. Many people, like Yakubu Abdullahi, a welder who has been in business since 2002, are feeling the heat. Abdullahi recalls a time when there was some stability in power, but now, due to the blackout, they have to rely on expensive diesel to keep their machines running. For many, the rising cost of diesel is too much to bear, forcing some to close up shop.

“We are suffering twice,” Abdullahi said. “The cost of diesel is very high, and some of us have to use inverters or generators. Even with regular electricity, the profit was small, so imagine what we are going through now.”

The situation is bleak, with no immediate solutions in sight. Abdullahi is part of a union with 50 members who are all impacted by the lack of consistent power supply. “We need a steady electricity supply to keep our businesses alive,” he added. “But it seems the government doesn’t care about us.”

Rano is not just an ordinary town—it’s the administrative headquarters of Kano Local Government Area (LGA) and the Kano South Senatorial District. However, despite its importance, the town’s power crisis continues to stall its development. The recent downgrade of the town’s emirate status from first-class to second-class only added to the residents’ frustrations. This change, along with the ongoing blackout, has significantly hindered the town’s economic activities.

Yusuf Bala, another resident, questioned why Rano isn’t connected to the nearby electricity infrastructure in Bunkure LGA, just four kilometers away. Residents often travel to neighboring communities to buy basic essentials like ice blocks and cold drinks, especially during Ramadan, due to the lack of power.

Anas Muhammad, a tailor, shared his own struggle. Despite paying a monthly electricity bill of N4,000 for his shop, Muhammad says that if he wants to keep his business running, he now spends the same amount on fuel each day. “Some of us stay in business to hold on to our customers, but it feels like the local officials have been deceiving us all these years,” he lamented.

A quick inspection of the area shows the extent of the problem—10 electricity poles have been vandalized, and their cables stolen, making it even harder to restore power. Residents are left worried that these thefts will delay any chance of reconnecting the town to the national grid.

When asked for a response, Gaddafi Shehu, the state’s Commissioner for Power and Renewable Energy, told CIALOGE that his ministry was unaware of the situation, as no official complaint had been filed by either the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) or the residents. According to Shehu, KEDCO is responsible for reconnecting the town, while his ministry oversees the sector.

Sani Bala, the spokesperson for KEDCO, did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.