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| Governor Uba Sani |
In a country where large-scale infrastructure projects have too often left affected residents feeling disposable, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani is trying to rewrite the script. On Saturday, October 17, 2026, the governor formally commenced the distribution of approximately N2 billion in compensation cheques to 865 households whose properties fall within the rights-of-way of major township road reconstructions in Zaria, Sabon Gari, Giwa and Shika.
The event, held at Waziri Lawal Primary School in Angwan Iya (Unguwan Iya), Zaria, was more than a cheque presentation. It was a public reaffirmation of a governance philosophy Sani has repeated since taking office on May 29, 2023: development must advance human dignity, and no citizen should bear an undue burden for public progress.
“Since taking office on May 29, 2023, we have remained guided by the conviction that development must advance human dignity,” the governor told the gathering. “Infrastructure gives physical expression to progress, but the fairness with which it is delivered determines whether citizens experience government as a source of reassurance and opportunity.”
The Numbers Behind the Policy
According to Sani, the Kaduna State Government has compensated approximately 4,865 households across the three senatorial zones at a cumulative cost of about N7 billion since he assumed office. The latest tranche covers communities along key corridors including Babban Dodo to Kofar Kuyan Bana, Rimin Tsiwa to Kofar Gayan, Tudun Wada, Giwa Township and Shika Township.
These payments form part of a broader reconstruction programme involving 11 township roads within Zaria and Sabon Gari Local Government Areas, alongside the Giwa and Shika township roads. Officials say the projects will ease movement, support commerce, and improve access to schools, healthcare facilities and other essential services in one of northern Nigeria’s most historically and economically significant urban centres.
Zaria, home to Ahmadu Bello University and a major commercial hub, has long struggled with congested, poorly maintained internal roads. Sabon Gari’s markets and residential areas, Giwa’s agricultural linkages, and Shika’s growing settlements all stand to benefit from better connectivity. Yet in densely populated Nigerian towns, expanding rights-of-way inevitably collides with existing homes, shops and public utilities.
Sani’s administration has addressed this tension by temporarily slowing certain construction activities to allow thorough, transparent assessments by surveyors, valuers, engineers and community representatives. Only after valuation and verification do compensation payments begin, with the explicit aim of enabling families to relocate, rebuild and reorganise their livelihoods without avoidable hardship.
“Compensation fulfils an obligation owed to citizens whose property is required for public development,” the governor stated. “Its purpose is to ensure that the benefits of improved infrastructure are not secured through avoidable hardship for those directly affected.”
He specifically praised the patience of the 865 households and the diligence of the technical teams involved, while directing utility agencies to expedite the safe relocation of water, electricity and telecommunications infrastructure.
A Consistent Pattern Across the State
This is not an isolated gesture. Earlier in 2026, Sani’s government distributed compensation for projects including the Rigasa township roads (189 households), the Rabah Road corridor in Mahuta (120 households), Magajiya to Albarkawa in Zaria (282 households), and sections of the 15-kilometre Ring Road in Millennium City (122 households), among others. By mid-2026, cumulative payouts had already surpassed N3 billion, rising steadily to the current N7 billion figure.
The approach contrasts with experiences in many Nigerian states where demolitions have proceeded with delayed, inadequate or contested compensation, generating public resentment and legal challenges. Sani has repeatedly insisted that “public interest can never become a justification for injustice” and that “no citizen should be disposed of without fair and adequate compensation.”
Independent reporting from multiple outlets confirms the scale of the current exercise and the governor’s consistent messaging on the issue.
Official statements from the Ministry of Information and Culture, Kaduna State, and the governor’s own verified social media accounts align closely with the figures and rationale presented at the Zaria event.
The Bigger Picture: Roads as Economic Arteries
The compensation programme sits within a much larger infrastructure drive. Aides and the Kaduna State Roads Agency (KADRA) report that the administration has initiated roughly 150–160 new road projects, bringing the total network under construction or completion to more than 1,345 kilometres across all 23 local government areas. These include both urban township roads and rural links designed to open up farming communities.
Recent completions and commissions — such as a 35-kilometre asphalt road linking more than 76 farming communities across Igabi, Kajuru and Chikun local governments, complete with a 130-metre bridge over the River Kaduna — illustrate the dual urban-rural focus. In Zaria and surrounding areas, improved township roads are expected to reduce travel times, lower transport costs for traders, and support the movement of people and goods in a region that remains a critical node for education, agriculture and commerce in the North-West.
Critics of rapid infrastructure expansion in Nigeria often point to the human cost: displaced families, disrupted businesses, and the loss of social networks. Proponents argue that without better roads, economic stagnation and isolation impose their own, longer-term hardships. Sani’s administration is attempting to navigate this tension by treating compensation not as optional charity but as a non-negotiable precondition for construction.
Challenges and Open Questions
Implementing such a policy at scale is not straightforward. Determining “fair and adequate” compensation in a high-inflation environment, verifying ownership claims in informal settlements, ensuring funds reach the intended beneficiaries, and managing the logistics of relocation all present practical difficulties. The governor has urged beneficiaries to complete verification procedures and retain documentation for accountability.
Whether the N7 billion so far disbursed fully restores livelihoods, or whether some households still face net losses after relocation costs, remains a question that independent tracking and resident feedback will need to answer over time. Similarly, the long-term quality and maintenance of the reconstructed roads will determine whether the promised economic benefits materialise.
For now, the visible process — temporary suspension of works for assessment, public cheque presentations, and repeated public commitments — marks a deliberate effort to build trust. In Sani’s words: “For us, development is not simply about building infrastructure; it is about building a society in which progress is equitable, opportunity is shared, and no one is forgotten.”
As Kaduna continues its ambitious road renewal programme, the test will be whether this principle holds consistently across every corridor, every community, and every subsequent phase of construction. The latest N2 billion disbursement in Zaria is both a milestone and a statement of intent.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Politics and Technology.
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