Abuja To Kano: A Road Traveller's Guide

By Loretta O. Adamu

20 September 2016

content image

Kano is an ancient city located in the north western part of Nigeria. Abuja, the FCT is located about 470 kilometres south of Kano.
The city centre of the FCT is in the northern corner of the territory, so there have always being relations between the Hausa people of the north and the indigenous people of Abuja.
Kano being a predominantly Muslim city, is also filled with a rich history of Nigeria. Its a beautiful place to visit and this post will describe how to get there from Abuja and also give tips for your journey.

Where To Go

Utako Motor Park, Gate 1

The vehicles to ply this route are regulated by the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), this means that they are registered by the Union, and can be tracked easily if that need arises.
Please note that for this route, there are countless unidentified/unregistered vehicles that pick up passengers by the road from Zuba, all the way to Suleja. They're much cheaper, but the seating arrangements are usually cramped, and they are not the safest or trustworthy as they're unregistered so I wouldn't advice you to use any of them. The price difference is also negligible.

Price Range

A bus ticket to Kano from Abuja will cost fom NGN2000 to NGN3000.

How To Choose A Transport Company

Lets discuss my three important factors.

  1. Budget: Since there are no specific transport companies on this route, this means that there's a unified rate when you get to the park. Unless you're willing to risk using an unregistered vehicle outside of this place.

  2. Proximity: Utako Motor Park is fairly central and easy to get to from any part of Abuja, and since the vehicle are all the same, and passengers get on as they arrive, getting a car to travel in whenever you get to the park will be easy.

  3. Convenience: You'll find all the seats on a minivan super comfortable and if you enter a vehicle from Utako Motor Park, they don't allow more than three passengers in the backseat.

What To Carry

Always, always pack as light as you can for road travel with public transportation.
You can always send your heavier luggage ahead of you via courier, but if you do have extra luggage, prepare to pay a few extra hundred nairas for "loading".

Time Taken

This trip takes about 5 hours, snack and bathroom breaks included.

Snack Options

There's usually a stop at an open market sometime in the afternoon for the Muslim afternoon prayers.
You can use the bathroom and buy food items while you wait. This stop lasts for about 20-30 minutes, so don't think you have all the time in the world.
Now the snack options at this stop really excite me, so I'll devote an entire paragraph to talk about them.
You can find all your favourite Hausa street food at the best prices, and best believe that the quality will be dope as well because, well its their land and they will be representing. There's masa, fried yam coated with egg (some of you call it yamarita), and drumroll please, Suya! Yeah, there's Suya at almost every travel stop on every route in this country, but the Suya here is really something else, and the vendors do this thing when they're packaging it where they decorate it with tomatoes and onions and its just beautiful and yum.
Anyone and everyone can take this trip for the food alone.
Now, with all these goodness, don't forget to eat responsibly.
I like to buy as much as I'd like, to eat when I'm at my final destination, and then pop it into a microwave, its not quite the same, but its something and I'll take it,

Tips For First-Time Travellers

Here are some tips for first-time travellers

  1. When in Rome, act like the Romans. Kano has a modest culture, so for the women, your experience would be much smoother if you wear long loose-fitting clothes and carry a scarf to cover your hair with.

  2. Get a window seat so you can get a front row view to the changing scenery. It is something.

  3. Travel as early as you can, the cars fill up faster in the morning, and you'll have a better trip if you haven't spent 4 hours waiting for he car to fill up before it starts.

  4. Hausa is a predominant language in Kano, so if you don't understand the basics, be friendly with a passenger who can help translate. Northerners are quite friendly to polite strangers.

  5. Be polite to everyone.

  6. Post a comment thanking me for these tips and add new ones that I might have missed.

For up to date information on bus fares and routes, please contact the transport companies directly as these are subject to change at any time at their discretion.
Safe Journey!

RELATED: Abuja To Enugu: A Road Traveller's Guide

Leave a comment