Kano Intellectuals Forum inaugurated to harness academic expertise for development – Waiya

The Kano State Government has inaugurated the Kano Intellectuals Forum, with the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, urging academics and intellectuals to deploy their knowledge, research and expertise towards addressing the socioeconomic challenges confronting the state.

This was conveyed in a statement signed by Sani Abba Yola, Director, Special Duties, Kano State Ministry of Information and Internal Affairs, dated October 5, 2026.

Waiya, who inaugurated the forum at the Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies, said the responsibility of academic institutions went beyond producing graduates and issuing academic certificates, stressing that higher institutions had a critical role to play in generating knowledge and providing practical solutions to societal challenges.

The commissioner said academic communities possessed the technical knowledge, research capacity and professional expertise required to conduct evidence-based studies and develop innovative solutions to problems affecting their host communities.

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He urged members of the Kano Intellectuals Forum to see their membership as an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state through research-based advice, policy recommendations and technical support to government.

According to him, the forum would provide a platform for strengthening collaboration between the academic community and government, particularly in education, economic development, social welfare, innovation, human capital development and other sectors critical to improving the quality of life of Kano residents.

Waiya said the forum would support and complement government efforts towards improving the wellbeing of the people, adding that the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had demonstrated commitment to placing the interests and welfare of residents at the centre of its development agenda through the Kano First Agenda.

He therefore called on members to develop practical and implementable recommendations that could assist government in formulating policies and programmes capable of promoting sustainable socioeconomic and political development.

Earlier, the Provost of Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education, Dr Kabiru Gwarzo, said the forum was designed to ensure broad and inclusive representation of the academic community across tertiary institutions in the state.

Gwarzo said each tertiary institution would have four representatives drawn from different segments of the institution, including academic and non-academic staff, students and women.

He explained that the inclusive composition was intended to provide the forum with diverse perspectives, experiences and areas of expertise in addressing issues affecting the development of Kano State.

In his remarks, the Acting Provost of Aminu Kano College of Islamic and Legal Studies, Dr Ali Tamasi, said Kano’s academic institutions were endowed with highly knowledgeable and experienced professionals who had provided consultancy services to organisations and institutions within and outside the country.

He stressed the need to create opportunities for such experts to deploy their knowledge and experience towards solving local challenges and contributing to the development of the state.

Tamasi said the establishment of the forum would provide a structured platform for engaging intellectuals in the state to complement government efforts in formulating policies and programmes, particularly under the Kano First Agenda.

He said the forum would advise and support government in areas including education, socioeconomic development, research and policy formulation, among others, with a view to improving the living standards of the people.

The acting provost expressed optimism that the forum would strengthen the relationship between government and tertiary institutions and promote greater utilisation of academic research and professional expertise in addressing developmental challenges.

The forum will also focus on disseminating information on government achievements in tertiary institutions, with a view to enabling members of the academic community and the wider public to appreciate the level of investment in the sector.