The Kano State Hisbah Board has reaffirmed that its state-sponsored mass wedding initiative is not restricted to Muslims, revealing that Christians who meet the required conditions are also eligible to participate.
The Deputy Commander of the board, Mujahideen Aminuddeen, disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano on Wednesday while explaining the guidelines for prospective beneficiaries of the programme.
According to him, the last edition of the exercise, held in October 2023, included three Christian couples who successfully participated alongside Muslim beneficiaries.
He explained that preparations for another round of the programme are currently underway but noted that it is still too early to confirm whether any Christian couples have registered for the upcoming exercise.
Aminuddeen said the initiative, popularly known as “Auren Gata,” which translates as “marriage for the privileged,” is designed to support widows, widowers, divorcees, bachelors and spinsters who are unable to afford the financial demands of marriage.
He noted that beyond assisting intending couples, the programme is intended to strengthen family values, reduce immoral behaviour and promote social stability across the state.
According to him, one of its key objectives is to encourage marriage in line with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), while also reducing the number of young girls forced into street hawking to raise money for marriage expenses.
He added that delayed marriages caused by poverty often expose young people to social vices, making the intervention necessary.
The deputy commander explained that the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf is giving priority to orphans and economically disadvantaged families, stressing that every applicant undergoes a comprehensive screening and verification process before being selected.
Commenting on the initiative, Islamic scholar Sheikh Muhammad Lawan-Yakub described the programme as a positive intervention capable of strengthening homes, discouraging immoral behaviour and promoting peaceful family life.
He said the counselling sessions, medical screening and post-marriage support provided by the Hisbah Board would improve the chances of successful marriages and help reduce divorce rates.
A Kano resident, Jamila Suraja, also praised the programme for providing relief to struggling families but urged beneficiaries to enter marriage with genuine intentions.
She expressed concern that some couples in previous editions allegedly joined the programme mainly to benefit from government assistance rather than to establish lasting families.
Another resident, Hassan Maikadara, said the initiative has opened doors for many individuals who desire marriage but lack the financial resources to begin family life.
He added that the intervention would also help many young people avoid immoral conduct by making marriage more accessible.
Economist Dr Abdulsalam Kani said the programme could stimulate economic growth if the empowerment component is properly managed.
He noted that providing financial support and startup capital to newly married couples could reduce poverty and unemployment, which he identified as major contributors to the high rate of divorce in northern Nigeria.
“As part of the initiative, the government will empower beneficiaries. The empowerment will assist in reducing poverty and unemployment.
“One of the major root causes of rampant divorce in the northern part of Nigeria is poverty. You cannot get married if you don’t have a means of livelihood.
“We need to understand that empowerment will only succeed if those who are going to be empowered have a particular skill or are engaged in a particular trade.”
Sociologist Dr Muhammad Hadi-Musa said the programme should be viewed not only as a marriage initiative but also as a broader social development strategy.
“The mass wedding initiative sponsored by the Kano State Government has become one of the most visible social intervention programmes in Northern Nigeria.
“The current Governor, Abba Yusuf, like his predecessors, has demonstrated commitment to Sharia implementation through initiatives such as facilitating marriages.
“At its core, the mass wedding programme reflects a public policy response to social realities.”
According to him, government support enables many low-income couples to formalise relationships that might otherwise be postponed indefinitely because of financial constraints.
He said the initiative has encouraged simpler wedding ceremonies, reduced excessive spending associated with marriages and demonstrated that government can actively support family welfare alongside infrastructure and economic development.
“It has also reinforced the idea that public institutions can participate in family-support policies rather than limiting interventions to infrastructure and economic sectors alone.
“In addition, the programme has generated public conversations around responsible marriage and family values,” Hadi-Musa said.
Meanwhile, the Commander-General of the Kano State Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, recently disclosed that the state government has allocated N1.5 billion for the forthcoming mass wedding programme, which will cater for 1,500 couples.
He said arrangements are already at an advanced stage, with intending beneficiaries currently undergoing medical examinations, including HIV, hepatitis B, pregnancy and genotype tests.
According to Daurawa, the board will ensure that every couple is medically compatible, while each prospective groom must demonstrate that he has a means of livelihood and suitable accommodation before approval.
He further explained that every groom would receive N100,000 as dowry for his bride, while each bride would also be provided N100,000 as startup capital to establish a business after marriage.
“The government will spend N1 million on each couple, totalling N1.5 billion.
“Each groom will be given the sum of N100,000 for dowry to their brides, N100,000 as empowerment for the brides, while the government will also provide beds, mattresses, furniture and food items.
“About 5,000 people applied for the programme. A total of 3,000 beneficiaries, representing 1,500 couples, will benefit from the initiative.”
Daurawa added that beneficiaries would undergo comprehensive health screening before the marriages are solemnised.
He also stated that couples who participate in the programme would not be allowed to dissolve their marriages without the knowledge and approval of the Hisbah Board.
