Kano channels ₦343bn into capital projects as works ministry leads spending

By Aminu Abubakar

The Kano State Government recorded significant capital investment across key ministries in its 2025 fiscal year, with the Ministry of Works, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of Education emerging as top beneficiaries in the state’s final budget performance report.

SolaceBase reports that the 2025 Budget Performance Report for the fourth quarter shows that total capital expenditure rose from an original provision of ₦457.08 billion to a final budget of ₦621.87 billion. Out of this figure, ₦343.13 billion was spent between the first and fourth quarters, representing 55.2 per cent performance against the final budget.

A breakdown of allocations indicates that infrastructure, health, education, land development and agriculture received the largest capital votes, underscoring the government’s focus on physical development and social sector investment.

Ministry of Works Tops Capital Allocation

The Ministry of Works received the highest capital allocation in the 2025 final budget, with ₦227.63 billion, up from its original ₦98.35 billion. By year-end, the ministry had expended ₦171.80 billion, representing a strong 75.5 per cent performance.

Within the ministry, the core Ministry of Works accounted for ₦223.76 billion of the final allocation and recorded ₦168.65 billion in capital spending, translating to 75.4 per cent implementation. The Kano State Road Maintenance Agency (KARMA) also posted an impressive 85.1 per cent performance, spending ₦3.15 billion out of its ₦3.7 billion allocation.

The scale of funding to the works sector signals a sustained push in road construction, rehabilitation and public infrastructure renewal across the state.

Health Sector Records Major Investment

The Ministry of Health followed closely with a capital allocation of ₦65.71 billion in the final budget. The sector achieved ₦36.35 billion in year-to-date expenditure, amounting to 55.3 per cent performance.

Read Also:Inflammatory Statement: Police assure Kano residents of safety

The core Ministry of Health spent ₦20.83 billion, while the Primary Health Care Management Board (PHCMB) posted one of the highest implementation rates in the sector, spending ₦7.92 billion out of ₦9.32 billion, representing 85 per cent performance.

KHETFUND also recorded ₦2.22 billion in capital spending, while the Contributory Health Management scheme disbursed ₦4.36 billion, reflecting continued investment in healthcare infrastructure, equipment and services.

Education Sector Maintains Strong Capital Profile

In the social services sector, the Ministry of Education secured ₦54.95 billion in the 2025 final capital budget. By the end of the fourth quarter, ₦34.56 billion had been spent, representing 62.9 per cent performance.

The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) stood out with ₦12.14 billion in capital expenditure, achieving 79.3 per cent performance. The Science and Technical Schools Board recorded ₦1.27 billion in spending, while the Senior Secondary Schools Management Board disbursed ₦3.27 billion.

The figures highlight sustained funding for classroom construction, school rehabilitation, instructional materials and other capital-intensive educational projects.

The Ministry for Higher Education also received ₦34.61 billion in the final budget, although year-to-date performance stood at ₦4.65 billion, reflecting phased project implementation across tertiary institutions.

Land and Physical Planning Sees Expanded Budget

The Ministry of Land and Physical Planning witnessed a significant increase in its capital envelope, rising from ₦27.76 billion in the original budget to ₦49.44 billion in the final budget.

By year-end, ₦26.35 billion had been spent, representing 53.3 per cent performance. The ministry’s core department alone accounted for ₦25.55 billion in capital implementation, reinforcing efforts at land administration reform, urban planning and geographic information systems.

Agriculture and Economic Sectors Strengthened

The Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources received ₦20.37 billion in the final budget and achieved ₦11.93 billion in capital spending, amounting to 58.5 per cent performance. The ministry’s central operations recorded an 80.2 per cent implementation rate.

Across the broader economic sector, total capital allocation stood at ₦403.85 billion, with ₦245.01 billion spent, translating to 60.7 per cent performance. This sector-wide allocation covered works, finance, commerce, science and technology, water resources, transport and rural development.

The Ministry of Finance posted ₦9.56 billion in capital spending out of ₦14.97 billion, while the Office of the Accountant General exceeded its allocation slightly with 105.3 per cent performance.

Water Resources and Rural Development

The Ministry of Water Resources received ₦21.18 billion in its final capital budget and spent ₦7.03 billion, representing 33.2 per cent performance. The Kano State Water Board accounted for ₦2.57 billion of that expenditure.

Similarly, the Ministry of Rural and Community Development recorded ₦4.21 billion in capital spending out of ₦15.48 billion, reflecting ongoing rural infrastructure and electrification projects.

Social Services and Youth Development

The broader social services sector had a final capital allocation of ₦184.97 billion, with ₦84.85 billion expended, representing 45.9 per cent performance.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports recorded ₦1.33 billion in capital spending, while the Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Disabled Persons implemented ₦241.10 million in projects.

Law and Justice Sector

In the Law and Justice sector, ₦712.94 million was spent out of a ₦5.48 billion allocation, with the Judicial Service Commission accounting for ₦702.94 million of the total expenditure.

Positive Capital Expansion

Overall, the 2025 capital performance report reflects an expansion in final budget size and substantial implementation across priority ministries. Infrastructure development through the Ministry of Works received the largest capital vote, followed by health and education, demonstrating a policy tilt toward roads, healthcare delivery and human capital development.

With ₦343.13 billion already deployed into capital projects by the fourth quarter, the figures signal measurable progress in translating budgetary provisions into tangible investments across Kano State.