Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has defended the government’s decision to spend more than N1.5 billion on its 2026 mass wedding programme, saying the money was used to fulfil a campaign promise and give 1,500 couples financial and material support to start their new lives.
The programme, popularly known as Auren Gata, went beyond the wedding ceremonies, with the state government providing cash, household items, food and other support to the beneficiaries.
Yusuf disclosed this on Saturday while speaking at the wedding ceremony for the 1,500 couples selected from the state’s 44 local government areas.
The governor said the mass wedding was one of the major promises he made during his campaign across the state ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He said the government had remained committed to fulfilling the promise and ensuring that the beneficiaries received adequate support to establish their homes.
According to Yusuf, prospective couples were subjected to medical screening, marriage counselling, workshops and seminars before they were admitted into the programme.
He said the screening was particularly important because it was aimed at protecting the health of the couples and their future children.
The governor said each bride received N100,000 as dowry and another N100,000 as a capital grant to enable her start a small business and become economically self-reliant.
The couples were also given household furniture and essential items, including beds and mattresses, as well as foodstuffs and other materials to reduce the financial burden of setting up new homes.
Yusuf urged the newlyweds to regard marriage as an act of worship and build their homes according to the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
He advised them to embrace patience, fairness and mutual respect and to settle disagreements peacefully rather than allowing conflicts to destroy their homes.
The governor also prayed for Allah to bless the marriages with righteous children who would be beneficial to their families, society and humanity.
He commended traditional rulers, Islamic scholars and other stakeholders for supporting the programme.
Yusuf specifically acknowledged members of the Kano State Council of Emirs, including the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, as well as the emirs of Rano, Karaye and Gaya, for their guidance, prayers and support.
He also thanked Islamic scholars and clerics who travelled from different parts of the country to participate in the programme and counsel the couples.
The 2026 Auren Gata programme was implemented across Kano’s 44 local government areas, with the state government combining the mass wedding ceremonies with financial, household and social support for the selected couples.
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