RismadarVoice Reporters, August 19, 2026
The Kano State Government has entered into a 20-year agreement with the Aliko Dangote Foundation for the management of the Aliko Dangote Skills Acquisition Centre in the state.
The agreement, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding, is aimed at revitalising the centre and expanding its capacity to provide vocational and entrepreneurial training for young people across Kano.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by the spokesperson to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa.
According to the statement, the MoU was signed at the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, with the state government represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Farouk Ibrahim, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkareem Maude.
The Aliko Dangote Foundation was represented at the signing by its Programme Manager for the North, Sanusi Abdulkadir, and Programme Support Officer, Mustapha Umar.
Speaking at the ceremony, Yusuf, who was represented by the SSG, said the partnership would help unlock the potential of the skills centre and contribute to the development of the state’s young population.
The governor said the Dangote Foundation had the technical and managerial capacity required to transform the facility into a leading institution for vocational and entrepreneurial education in Nigeria and West Africa.
He explained that the decision followed deliberations by the Kano State Executive Council, which approved the arrangement as part of efforts to introduce improved standards and best practices in vocational training.
Yusuf expressed optimism that the foundation’s involvement would strengthen the centre’s programmes and create more opportunities for young people to acquire practical skills and develop sustainable businesses.
He also highlighted the expected contribution of Aliko Dangote, a prominent businessman from Kano State, to the development of human capital in the state through his foundation’s expertise and resources.
The Aliko Dangote Ultra-Modern Skills Acquisition Centre was established by the Kano State Government during the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The facility was named after Dangote in recognition of the businessman and industrialist’s contributions to the state and the country.
Under the new 20-year arrangement, the Kano government expects the Dangote Foundation to reposition the centre and expand its role in equipping young people with vocational, entrepreneurial and other employable skills.
