Kwankwasiyya Mega City Faces Low Occupancy Despite Government Efforts

Kano State embarked on a visionary project in 2012 to establish three mega cities – Kwankwasiyya, Amana, and Bandirawo – with the aim of decongesting the historic city and equipping it with contemporary facilities. This initiative led to the construction of approximately 1,500 luxury houses across these new urban centers. By 2015, the Kwankwasiyya city alone had seen the completion of about 500 luxury apartments, intended to alleviate issues of housing affordability, overcrowding, and strain on public infrastructure, thereby fostering economic development in the state.

However, more than ten years after its official commissioning by former army chief General TY Danjuma, Kwankwasiyya city, which reportedly attracted an investment exceeding N35 billion, is still largely vacant. Only a small number of homeowners have relocated to the area with their families.

The mega city was designed to include not only luxury duplexes and bungalows but also essential amenities such as a hospital, schools, commercial plots, a hotel, places of worship, a conference center, and recreational parks.

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who served as the commissioner for works during the inception of the mega city project under the Kwankwasiyya administration in 2011, expressed profound disappointment upon visiting the city after assuming office in 2023. He observed a disappointingly low rate of physical occupation by property owners. In response, he pledged to complete the project and use a new governor's lodge within the city to encourage residents to occupy their homes.

As a testament to these efforts, the 29th, 30th, and 32nd cabinet meetings were convened in the city's lodge during July, August, and October 2025, signalling the government's commitment to its security and habitability.

Investigations suggest that security concerns are a primary reason for the low occupancy rate among genuine owners and tenants. Inadequate water supply, owing to the city's relative distance from the Kano metropolis, also presents a challenge.

To incentivize residents, the state government has ensured a constant electricity supply to the city by connecting it to the Tiga Hydropower plant.

Furthermore, the governor established a dedicated Ministry of Housing Development to oversee the State Housing Corporations, which are responsible for the sales and management of the city's properties.

Tijjani Muhammad Sharif, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing Development, stated that recent government actions have significantly improved physical occupancy, estimating it to be around 60%. He recalled that in October of the previous year, the Commissioner for Housing Development, Arc Ibrahim Yakubu Adamu, issued a final notice to property owners, demanding completion of their houses within three months to avoid reallocation. Many property owners reportedly complied substantially.

He added that holding cabinet meetings in the city has helped build confidence and encouraged habitation, bolstered by the presence of functional infrastructure.

Despite these measures, a recent purchase by Governor Yusuf of 324 houses previously allocated to the state pension union – whose N4.5 billion contribution funded the city's construction – indicated that a considerable number of these properties remain unsold or unoccupied.

Civil servants Abdullahi Yusuf and Jakada Abubakar commented that the luxury homes in Kwankwasiyya city are inaccessible to low-income earners. They alleged that the houses were primarily allocated to politicians, commissioners, and senior civil servants, leading to their underutilization. They believe that if these houses had been made available to civil servants, occupancy rates would have been much higher.

"Where on earth can I raise money to buy a house valued at over N20 million?" Abdullahi Yusuf questioned, emphasizing the unaffordability for individuals like himself.

Another civil servant, who preferred to remain anonymous, noted that since the era of the Kundila Housing units at Zoo and Maiduguri Road, civil servants have not had opportunities to purchase homes in government-built estates. He lamented that while the initiative is commendable, civil servants rarely get the chance to own a house, with allocations often going to politicians who then resell them for profit.

He reminisced about past opportunities for civil servants to acquire homes in estates like Kundila or Jaoji quarters. He noted that while he knew of one Director who benefited from housing in Gyadi-Gyadi Jaoji, he could not identify any other civil servants who have profited from recent estates like Kwankwasiyya, Amana, or Bandirawo.

Another anonymous civil servant pointed out that even the two-bedroom houses constructed by the Ganduje administration near the Aliko Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre were mostly bought by private individuals, let alone the luxury apartments in Kwankwasiyya.

He further explained that many civil servants struggle to access mortgage facilities, especially with limited years remaining in service, making it difficult for them to meet the purchase conditions set by housing corporations.

"Duplexes built in Kwankwasiyya are obviously not meant for civil servants or low income earners. The government wanted to build expensive cities where politicians or their cronies can own property, but even the two-bedroom houses do not really get to some of us with few years left in the service," he added.

However, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing Development countered that the houses were initially offered at discounted rates to senior civil servants. He explained that many failed to purchase due to affordability or other reasons, prompting the government to sell to interested buyers at market value. He stated that a two-bedroom bungalow in Kwankwasiyya cost approximately N28 million, and a three-bedroom unit was priced around N38 million, noting that market values have since more than doubled.

Typically, properties from the state Housing Corporation are purchased with a 10% deposit and the balance spread over ten years. However, the rules for Kwankwasiyya city were altered, with the state government allocating properties directly to individuals for outright payment.

A retired senior civil servant disclosed that in some instances, influential politicians were reportedly asked to pay nominal sums to acquire houses. He contrasted this with the Kundila Housing estate, built in the 70s and 80s, which was sold to civil servants who are now enjoying their retirement.