By Mustapha Salisu
The Kano State Government and the United Kingdom have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation and sustaining strategic development partnerships aimed at improving governance, economic growth, healthcare, education, and institutional reforms in the state.
This formed part of discussions during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the British High Commission to Kano State Government House, where the Executive Governor of Kano State, Alh. Abba Kabir Yusuf, was represented by his deputy, Alh. Murtala Sule Garo.
Speaking on behalf of Governor Yusuf, the Deputy Governor described the visit as a reflection of the enduring relationship between Kano State and the United Kingdom under the UK–Kano Development Partnership.
He said the Kano State Government highly values the support and collaboration of the British High Commission in critical sectors directly impacting the lives of citizens, including governance reforms, healthcare, education, economic development, social inclusion, and institutional strengthening.
According to him, sustainable development can only be achieved through genuine partnerships built on trust, transparency, and shared responsibility.
“Today’s engagement provides another important opportunity for us to review our collective progress, exchange ideas, and reaffirm our commitment to the Mutual Accountability Framework, which continues to guide our collaboration towards achieving our common objectives,” the Deputy Governor said.
Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo further assured the delegation of the state government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for development partners to effectively contribute toward building a prosperous, inclusive, and economically vibrant Kano State.
He expressed appreciation to the British High Commission for its continued technical support, cooperation, and dedication to the development aspirations of the state.
Speaking earlier, the Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission in Nigeria, Cynthia Rowe, congratulated the Deputy Governor on his appointment and commended Kano State Government for sustaining its longstanding relationship with the United Kingdom.
She explained that the visit was aimed at strengthening ties with Kano State and discussing ongoing strategic changes in the United Kingdom’s approach to international development and partnerships.
“The UK Government is gradually shifting from traditional grant-based support toward investment-driven partnerships focused on sustainable economic growth, private sector participation, and long-term development outcomes,” she said.
“Despite reductions in some bilateral grant funding, the UK remains committed to supporting Nigeria and Kano State through strategic investments, institutional support, and collaboration with multilateral organizations such as the World Bank and the African Development Bank.”
“Economic growth, security and stabilization, as well as strengthening healthcare, education, agriculture, and governance systems remain major priorities of the UK–Nigeria partnership moving forward,” Rowe added.
The British High Commission official further emphasized that Kano State remains an important strategic partner to the United Kingdom, noting that the UK has maintained developmental engagement in the state for more than two decades across various sectors.
She added that future collaborations would focus on understanding Kano State’s priorities and reviewing how the existing Mutual Accountability Framework could evolve to align with emerging realities and shared objectives.
The meeting was attended by senior government officials, commissioners, development partners, and members of the British High Commission delegation.
