Kano State has denied claims that it received a ₦177 billion loan from France, calling the reports “malicious” and “false.” The denial came after the online newspaper, DCL Hausa, published an article suggesting that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration had obtained the loan.
In an official statement, Hamisu Sadi Ali, Director General of the Kano State Public Debt Management Office, dismissed the claim, stressing that no loan had been taken. “The report is completely untrue and should be disregarded,” Ali said. He clarified that under the Kano State Public Debt Management Law of 2021, any borrowing by the government must be managed through the State Debt Management Office. “There are rigorous procedures to follow, especially with foreign lenders,” he added.
Ali emphasized that the current government, led by the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), is focusing on servicing debts accumulated by the previous administration. He referenced a loan agreement signed in July 2018 by the former All Progressives Congress (APC) government under Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. The APC administration had secured a subsidiary loan of €64 million from the French Development Agency for the National Urban Water Sector Reform Project, of which €13 million had already been disbursed.
The loan signed by Ganduje’s administration is the most recent foreign facility contracted by the state,” Ali noted, explaining that it was intended for the provision of affordable water services. He reiterated that since taking office on May 29, 2023, the Yusuf administration had not taken any new loans, either domestically or internationally.
Ali urged the public to disregard what he called “fake news” from outlets like DCL Hausa, accusing the publication of failing to conduct proper investigative journalism. He concluded by calling for more responsible reporting.
“The public should kindly ignore this fabricated report. Journalism should be a deeply investigative venture, not a tool for spreading non-factual, fabricated stories,” Ali said.
