Two years after taking the oath of office, Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi State has moved from campaign promises to tangible projects that now dot the state’s landscape. From roads and schools to agriculture and healthcare, the administration has achieved visible results in a short period. Yet, beyond the ribbon-cuttings and policy launches, the real question is how these achievements will impact his re-election bid in 2027.
Idris’s story is unlike that of many politicians. Before politics, he built his career in the classroom and the labour movement. Rising through the ranks of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), he became its national president and later served as deputy president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). That background has given him a direct line to teachers, civil servants, and organised labour, constituencies that still shape political conversations in Kebbi.
His 2023 election victory, confirmed by the Supreme Court after legal challenges, marked a turning point for a state accustomed to elite politics. For many supporters, his unionist past raised expectations of a governor who would prioritise workers’ welfare, education, and grassroots development. Two years on, those expectations are being tested against reality.
Perhaps, the most visible element of the Idris administration is the emphasis on roads and urban renewal. The government has allocated large sums to infrastructure. Official figures for 2024 alone put capital spending at nearly ₦79 billion.
Key projects include reconstruction of the Koko–Zuru–Mahuta–Dabai Road, a project long on the wish list of communities in southern Kebbi, now revived at a cost running into tens of billions. The 87-kilometre stretch promises to ease trade and mobility for farmers and travellers alike.
Also, the capital city has witnessed the dualisation of major arteries, including the Birnin Kebbi–Amburesa road and several township streets, designed to decongest traffic and modernise the state capital. Argungu, famous for its cultural festival and fishing heritage, has benefited from new dual carriageways, enhancing both local movement and tourism prospects. The symbolism of roads in Kebbi is clear – they connect emirates and reduce the isolation of farming villages. For an agrarian state, improved road links mean easier access to markets, less post-harvest loss, and stronger economic exchange. By spreading projects across emirates, Idris has positioned himself as a governor attentive to balance and equity.
Also, agriculture is the backbone of Kebbi, and Idris has sought to deepen that identity. His flagship initiative, the Kaura Agricultural Development and Growth Agenda (KADAGE), reflects an effort to move beyond rhetoric into structured support for farmers. Through KADAGE, thousands of farmers have received fertilisers and improved seedlings, solar-powered irrigation pumps, and small farm machinery such as tillers. These interventions are aimed at boosting dry-season farming, stabilising yields, and encouraging the youth to return to agriculture. By focusing on rice, wheat, and other staples, Kebbi is working to retain its role as one of Nigeria’s food baskets.
Agriculture also has a political dimension. In a state where a large percentage of households depend on farming, the ability of government programmes to cushion costs, provide inputs on time, and guarantee off-take will directly influence voter sentiments by 2027.
Given his NUT background, expectations on salaries, pensions, and welfare have been especially high. Idris has leaned into that role, making regular salary payments and settlement of gratuities cornerstones of his administration’s messaging. Several tranches of death benefits to families of deceased workers have been disbursed publicly, reinforcing his labour credentials.
Equally important are moves to improve teachers’ conditions. Recruitment drives have aimed to fill gaps in classrooms, while school renovations and the construction of new mega schools have been launched to provide better learning environments. For civil servants and pensioners, prompt payments are not only an economic lifeline but also a measure of trust in government.
Health services in Kebbi have long lagged behind need. The Idris administration has taken a dual approach – overhaul existing facilities and expand access. Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital in Birnin Kebbi is undergoing extensive remodelling. Departments were temporarily relocated to Kalgo General Hospital to allow renovations. The move disrupted services in the short-term but is expected to deliver modernised facilities once complete.
Argungu General Hospital has already been rehabilitated and recommissioned, offering upgraded services to residents in the emirate. Smaller health centres across local councils have seen improvements, ranging from new equipment to repairs of dilapidated wards. Healthcare reforms are politically delicate because they affect daily life so directly. If the remodels are completed and visible before 2027, Idris will have a powerful story to tell.
Education is Idris’s personal constituency. In his first two years, he has directed attention to renovation of existing schools, construction of additional classrooms, teacher training programmes, and recruitment of new teachers. These steps are not yet enough to close Kebbi’s education gap, but they signal seriousness. His credibility with teachers and unionists also lends him some goodwill. By 2027, the measure of success will be whether these interventions have translated into visible improvements in pupil performance and school attendance.
Every administration commissions projects, but in Kebbi, geography and visibility determine political weight. By ensuring that each emirate has a flagship project — roads in Zuru, urban renewal in Argungu, a secretariat in Birnin Kebbi, and farm inputs across riverine communities — Idris has spread his footprint.
The completion of the long-delayed State Secretariat in Gwadangaji is especially symbolic. For years, the complex was a monument to stalled governance. Its completion under Idris provided both a morale boost for the civil service and a visible emblem of “government at work.”
Two years into his tenure, Governor Nasir Idris has built a scorecard heavy on infrastructure, education, healthcare, and agriculture. His administration has completed projects that eluded predecessors and has launched programmes that resonate with the everyday needs of farmers, teachers, and workers.
Looking ahead to 2027, Idris carries significant advantages. His incumbency is reinforced by visible achievements. His personal story as a unionist aligns him with ordinary workers. And his agricultural agenda addresses the lifeblood of Kebbi’s economy. If the governor sustains momentum, completes key projects, and maintains civil service confidence, he is well placed to secure another mandate.
Ojiego, a journalist, wrote from Birnin Kebbi.
