By Faith Jemosop
The Kano State Government has commissioned 500 electricity transformers targeted at underserved rural communities. This large-scale deployment marks one of the most significant rural electrification initiatives in Northern Nigeria in recent years. The move is designed to empower agrarian communities, stimulate local economies, and deliver long-overdue electricity access to thousands of households.
The development aligns with broader national objectives under Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan and underscores Kano’s role as a key subnational player driving progress toward universal electricity coverage by 2030.
Why It Matters: Tackling Nigeria’s Rural Power Deficit
According to the World Bank, over 85 million Nigerians roughly 43% of the population lack access to grid electricity, with rural communities disproportionately affected. In Kano, many villages have lived in darkness for decades, relying on kerosene lamps, firewood, and costly generators. The lack of electricity has crippled rural education, health facilities, water access, and microenterprises.
By deploying 500 transformers across rural areas, the Kano government hopes to reverse this trend. Each transformer, depending on its capacity, has the potential to electrify at least 100 to 200 homes, which translates to nearly 75,000 to 100,000 beneficiaries.
This is not just an infrastructure boost, it’s a life-changing intervention for families and small-scale businesses who can now power their homes, clinics, and irrigation systems more affordably and safely.
Implementation: How the Electrification Rollout Will Work
The transformers were procured by the Kano State Ministry of Rural and Community Development and will be installed in phases across over 400 villages in the state’s 44 local government areas (LGAs). The government has partnered with the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) for technical support, installation, and eventual grid integration.
To ensure sustainability, communities are being sensitized on how to manage and protect the installations. Rural electricians are also being trained and engaged to provide on-site maintenance, a move that also creates jobs and builds local capacity.
Funding for the project came from a combination of state budget allocations, World Bank rural electrification grants, and matching contributions from local councils. In a bold policy move, Kano has also instituted a Community Energy Committee (CEC) model, a localized governance system that involves chiefs, youth, and women in overseeing the electrification process.
Voices from the Ground: Hope Restored in Forgotten Communities
For many villagers, this initiative feels like a long-overdue rescue. In Doguwa LGA, where several transformers have already been installed, local health workers report that clinics now operate into the night without relying on expensive generators.
“We can refrigerate vaccines and run simple diagnostic tools now. This will reduce maternal deaths and improve child immunization rates,” said Maryam Yusuf, a nurse at a primary health center in Riruwai.
In Makoda, farmers like Ibrahim Suleiman see the new electricity as a pathway to mechanization: “I can now use solar water pumps and electric dryers for tomatoes. We used to lose 40% of our produce due to spoilage,” he shared.
Women, too, are among the biggest beneficiaries. With access to electricity, many are launching home-based businesses, including tailoring, hair salons, and frozen food stalls.
Nigeria’s Broader Push for Rural Electrification
The Kano initiative comes at a time when Nigeria is accelerating efforts under its Electricity Act of 2023, which decentralizes electricity regulation and empowers states to drive their own energy policies. Since the passage of the Act, over a dozen Nigerian states, including Lagos, Edo, and Kaduna, have launched subnational electricity markets and rural access programs.
Kano’s 500-transformer rollout positions the state as a leader in northern Nigeria, and an example of how decentralized energy planning can deliver tangible results.
In addition, the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 7: Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Challenges and Concerns
Despite the promising rollout, experts caution that transformer deployment alone does not guarantee long-term energy access. Without upgrades to distribution lines, metering infrastructure, and stable generation, communities could experience unstable power or even system collapse.
There’s also the risk of transformer vandalism and electricity theft, common issues in many rural areas of Nigeria. Kano’s answer to this has been the CECs, which are tasked with community vigilance and reporting.
Power affordability is another issue. Will rural households be able to pay for electricity once connected to the grid? KEDCO has hinted at subsidized tariffs for newly electrified villages and potential integration with solar mini-grids where grid extension is too costly.
Nonetheless, the project’s design, involving communities from the ground up, increases the chances of long-term viability.
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Kano’s ambitious rural power program is already inspiring interest from neighboring states like Jigawa, Katsina, and Bauchi. If replicated, the northern region which has long lagged in energy infrastructure could witness a significant turnaround in electrification rates.
Moreover, as electricity reaches more rural communities, there’s potential for a multiplier effect across agriculture, education, healthcare, and trade.
Donor agencies and energy think tanks, such as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and Nigeria Energy Support Programme (NESP), have praised Kano’s model as scalable and participatory, a critical departure from past top-down electrification efforts.
