Isiyaku Ahmed
The Kano State Debt Management Office (KSDMO) has commenced efforts to strengthen the operations of Debt Management Offices across the 44 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
The Director-General (DG) of the KSDMO, Dr. Hamisu Sadi Ali, disclosed in Dutse, Jiagwa State, while delivering his opening remarks at a 2-day workshop on “Operationalizing Local Government Debt Management Offices for Sustainable Public Debt Governance and Management in Kano State.”
He said the workshop was aimed at making the debt management offices at the local government level functional and capable of supporting sustainable public debt governance.
The DG recalled that the state government, in January 2025, established Debt Liaison Offices in all 44 local government areas as part of efforts to improve debt governance at the grassroots.
According to Dr. Ali, the report and communiqué from the 2025 exercise recommended an annual capacity-building workshop for the 44 local government debt offices.
“The current workshop was therefore a follow-up to that commitment, providing an opportunity to assess progress, identify implementation challenges and develop practical solutions to improve debt management at the local government level,” he said.
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Dr. Ali noted that establishing the offices was only the beginning, stressing that their effectiveness would depend on the capacity and professionalism of the officers operating them.
The DG KSDMO said the workshop would focus on issues including fiscal federalism, the structure and governance of debt management offices, ethics and professional conduct, compliance with the Kano State Debt Management Law, digital debt reporting, project appraisal, debt transparency and accountability, financing instruments and performance monitoring.
He added that participants would assess the establishment and performance of the 44 Local Government Debt Management Offices, identify achievements and challenges, draw lessons, and develop a 2026–2028 road-map for strengthening their operations.
Dr. Ali urged participants, particularly officers of the local government debt management offices, to use the workshop for honest reflection, learning and practical problem-solving.
“Effective debt management depended on the quality of information generated, professionalism of officers, compliance with applicable laws and regulations, transparency and accountability in borrowing decisions, as well as effective monitoring of debt obligations,” he added.
The DG also encouraged participants to actively engage the resource persons, ask questions and contribute to discussions, with a view to agreeing on practical actions that could be implemented at the local government level.
He expressed appreciation to the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for approving the workshop, as well as the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftain Affairs, partners, resource persons and participants for their support.
