By Maryam Usman Nagado
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has flagged off the distribution and installation of 500 electricity transformers to communities across all 44 local government areas of the state.
During a ceremony held on Sunday, Governor Yusuf said the initiative is part of his administration’s promise to improve the lives of residents, especially in underserved areas that have been without electricity for many years.
He explained that reliable and steady electricity is not just a basic need, but a key driver of economic growth and social wellbeing.
The governor said Kano has suffered for years due to overloaded, damaged, or completely unavailable transformers — leading to frequent blackouts, business disruptions, and hardship for residents.
To address this, he said the state government is now rebuilding its power infrastructure and expanding rural electrification projects.
The first phase of the exercise will see the distribution of 250 transformers, with capacities ranging from 500 KVA, 300 KVA to 200 KVA, tailored to meet the specific power needs of the benefiting communities.
According to the governor, the transformers will serve both to replace faulty ones and to provide electricity to areas that have never been connected to the grid.
He also highlighted other major electricity projects completed or ongoing under his administration, including the 10 megawatt Tiga Hydro Power Plant, and the near-completion of the 6 megawatt Challawa Goje Hydro Project.
In addition, a total of 110 metropolitan roads have been electrified using solar-powered street lights, including major 10-kilometer routes — a move the governor said has improved security and added to the beautification of Kano’s urban environment.
Governor Yusuf called on the Kano Electricity Distribution Company, KEDCO, to complement the state’s efforts by improving electricity supply to residents, stressing that Kano people deserve consistent and reliable power to boost their livelihoods and industrial activities.
He also urged residents to protect the transformers from vandalism and theft, and directed all 44 local government councils to establish transformer protection committees to safeguard the investment.