Office of the Proprietor
A life given to service, an institute built for the future
Senator Dr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, PhD, FNSE — Founder and Proprietor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso Institute of Governance and Political Studies.
Senator Dr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso
PhD, FNSE
Engineer · Governor · Senator · Statesman
Born 21 October 1956, Kwankwaso Village, Madobi LGA, Kano State
Fellow, Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE)
Biography
Among Nigeria's most distinguished statesmen
Senator Dr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, PhD, FNSE, is a former two-term Governor of Kano State (1999–2003 and 2011–2015), former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, former Minister of Defence, former Senator representing Kano Central Senatorial District (2015–2019), and former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in the 2023 general elections.
Born on 21 October 1956 in Kwankwaso Village, Madobi Local Government Area, Kano State, he trained as a civil engineer — earning qualifications from Kaduna Polytechnic, a postgraduate diploma from Middlesex Polytechnic and a Master's degree from Loughborough University of Technology in the United Kingdom — before entering public service as a water engineer with the Kano State Water Resources and Engineering Construction Agency, where he served from 1975 to 1992.
As Governor of Kano State across two transformative terms, Dr. Kwankwaso delivered some of the most ambitious education and infrastructure investments in the history of northern Nigeria: raising school enrolment from approximately one million to over three million pupils, establishing two universities and twenty-six manpower institutes, awarding over 2,600 foreign scholarships, training more than 360,000 youths and women, and constructing flyovers, underpasses and roads in all 44 local government areas. He is widely recognised for his contributions to education, infrastructure, youth empowerment and grassroots politics.
It is this conviction — that the quality of a society's leadership determines the quality of its future — that led Dr. Kwankwaso to found the Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso Institute of Governance and Political Studies, to cultivate the next generation of ethical, competent and visionary leaders for Nigeria, Africa and the world.
Education
- 01Kwankwaso Primary School; Gwarzo Boarding Senior Primary School
- 02Wudil Craft School & Kano Technical College (WASC)
- 03Kaduna Polytechnic — ND / HND
- 04Middlesex Polytechnic, United Kingdom — Postgraduate Studies, 1982–1983
- 05Loughborough University of Technology, UK — Master's Degree, 1983–1985
- 06Sharda University, India — Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), 2022
Political History
A career in public service
1975 – 1992
Water Engineer
Served as a water engineer with the Kano State Water Resources & Engineering Construction Agency — grounding a political career in technical discipline and public works.
1992 – 1993
Member & Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives
Elected to represent Madobi constituency in the House of Representatives, and subsequently served as Deputy Speaker — his first national office.
1999 – 2003
Governor of Kano State (First Term)
Inaugurated a transformative first term focused on education expansion, infrastructure and youth empowerment. Introduced free school feeding and uniforms; raised enrolment from approximately 1 million to over 3 million pupils.
2003 – 2007
Minister of Defence
Appointed to the Federal Executive Council as Minister of Defence, contributing to national security architecture and civil-military relations at the highest level.
2011 – 2015
Governor of Kano State (Second Term)
Returned to the governorship to deliver a second landmark term: established two universities and 26 institutes, awarded over 2,600 foreign scholarships, built three flyovers and dual carriage roads in all 44 LGAs, and constructed thousands of housing units.
2015 – 2019
Senator, Kano Central
Elected to the Senate representing Kano Central Senatorial District, maintaining a platform for legislative advocacy on education, security and development.
2022 – 2023
Presidential Candidate, NNPP
Joined and led the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, broadening a political movement rooted in grassroots empowerment and social justice.
Major Projects & Achievements
A record of transformation
Selected achievements across two terms as Governor of Kano State and decades of national service.
Education
- Established Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil and North West University Kano
- Founded 26 academic and manpower development institutes
- Awarded over 2,600 foreign scholarships to Kano students
- Established 230 secondary schools including technical, Islamic, Chinese and French colleges
- Raised school enrolment from approximately 1 million to over 3 million pupils
Youth & Women
- Trained over 360,000 youths and women in vocational and entrepreneurial skills
- Introduced free school feeding and uniforms for primary school pupils
- Established the Kwankwasiyya Development Foundation (KDF)
- Donated over ₦150 million and sports kits to amateur football clubs
- Built a solar-powered 300-pupil school in Rano
Infrastructure & Housing
- Constructed three flyovers, two underpasses and dual carriage roads in all 44 LGAs
- Covered Jakara drainage with road infrastructure, alleviating perennial flooding
- Built Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo Cities with approximately 3,000 housing units
- Built and donated over 1,500 houses to rural poor and flood victims
Social Justice
- Secured the release of over 170 inmates by personally paying their fines
- Championed grassroots participation, social inclusion and accountability in public office
Leadership Philosophy
"Education, youth and women empowerment, accountability, human capital development, infrastructure, social justice and grassroots participation."
— Senator Dr. Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, PhD, FNSE · Founder & Proprietor, Kwankwaso Institute