KANO State has recorded an unprecedented surge in its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which rose by 100 per cent in 2024, hitting ₦74.77 billion, up from ₦37.38 billion in 2023, according to a new national fiscal performance report released this week.
News Point Nigeria reports that the impressive performance positioned Kano as the second-highest revenue growth state in Nigeria, trailing only Enugu State, which topped the list with an extraordinary 433 per cent rise to ₦180.50 billion.
Other top-performing states include Cross River with ₦47.02 billion, Anambra with ₦42.69 billion, Ekiti with ₦35.21 billion, Bauchi with ₦32.43 billion, and Ebonyi with ₦13.18 billion.
Reacting to the development, the Special Adviser to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf on Information, Ibrahim Adam, in a statement issued on Tuesday sent to News Point Nigeria, said the remarkable increase followed a series of strategic fiscal reforms and restructuring of the Kano State Internal Revenue Service (KIRS).
“The administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, immediately after being sworn in, swung into action and doubled the state’s revenue generation by overhauling the Kano State Internal Revenue Service,” the statement read.
According to him, the reforms included the appointment of highly competent professionals to lead the revenue agency, the deployment of modern digital systems to enhance compliance, and the plugging of leakages that had long drained public finances.
Ibrahim emphasized that the Yusuf administration achieved the milestone without introducing new taxes or levies on struggling residents, especially small business operators and commercial tricycle riders (Adaidaita Sahu), who were “unfairly overtaxed” by the previous administration.
“People have been asking where the government is getting the funds for ongoing infrastructural projects. This is the only way through blocking leakages, enhancing compliance, and ensuring accountability,” Ibrahim stated.
He added that the state government’s fiscal discipline and efficient collection system had significantly improved public trust and encouraged more voluntary tax payments.
The statement noted that while Kano recorded ₦37.38 billion in 2023, states such as Anambra, Ekiti, Cross River, Ebonyi, and Bauchi generated between ₦30 billion and ₦33 billion in the same year. With the 2024 figures, Kano now ranks among Nigeria’s top-performing subnationals in internal revenue generation.
Ibrahim further disclosed that the Governor remains determined to sustain the momentum, deepen reforms, and ensure that the increased revenue translates into tangible infrastructural development and improved social welfare.
“His Excellency is very grateful for the cooperation the administration is receiving from the populace, and he has promised to do more in sustaining the gains recorded so far,” Ibrahim concluded.
Governor Yusuf, who assumed office in May 2023, had pledged to strengthen the state’s financial base by reforming its tax administration system, automating payment channels, and ensuring transparency in revenue remittance.
Kano’s improved revenue performance is expected to support ongoing infrastructure projects, education reforms, and healthcare development initiatives across the state.
