Kano state in Nigeria hosts mass wedding for 1,500 couples

The governor of Kano state in northern Nigeria, Abba Kabir Yusuf, organized a two-day mass wedding ceremony in which roughly 1,500 couples were married. The regional government said the initiative is meant to support low-income families and strengthen social stability across the state.

One groom, Abubakar Aliyu Musa, told the Associated Press that the program helps men who lack the financial means to marry. This marks the second time Yusuf's administration has organized such a large-scale wedding event.

Support for new households

According to Kano's regional government, each bride received a dowry of 200,000 naira (about $147 or €127) along with support to start a small business. Couples also received household items such as beds, mattresses and blankets. Before the ceremony, all participants went through screening and counseling.

Governor Yusuf described the program as a bold social intervention intended to restore hope and support dignified family life in Kano. He said it was designed to help women who might otherwise struggle to afford marriage, while also strengthening families and promoting social stability in the state.

Victims of violence among the couples

Participants included people who had lost relatives in violent attacks. One of them, Haruna Bashir, lost his wife and six children in an attack earlier this year. A local official, Daurawa, praised Bashir's participation as a step toward gradually returning to normal life after he had largely withdrawn from social contact since the tragedy.

Nigeria has faced a severe security crisis for years, particularly in its northern regions, which are frequently targeted by raids and attacks from Islamist insurgents and organized criminal gangs. Several armed groups in the country also kidnap schoolchildren to demand ransom payments. On Wednesday, the Nigerian government announced the release of 308 people who had been abducted.