Kano Governor Spends 1.5 Billion Naira on Mass Wedding

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf spent over 1.5 billion naira to solemnize the marriages of 1,500 couples during the 2026 Auren Gata mass wedding program on August 7, 2026. The initiative, which fulfills a 2023 campaign promise, targeted low-income residents, widows, and divorcees to ease financial burdens and reduce childbirth outside of marriage.

Each bride received 100,000 naira as a dowry and an additional 100,000 naira as a business start-up grant. The state government also provided household furniture, beds, mattresses, and food items. To ensure the stability of the unions, the Kano State Hisbah Board coordinated medical screenings and premarital counseling for all beneficiaries.

During the ceremonies at the Emir's Palace and across 44 local government areas, Governor Yusuf represented the first groom, seeking a bride's hand from the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II. A special support package was provided to Haruna Bashir, a widower whose family was murdered earlier in the year, including a new wife, a house in Amana City, and sponsorship for Hajj and Umrah.

Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II urged couples to base their homes on faith and mutual respect. The program received praise from Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda, who described the initiative as an intervention to improve public welfare.