Chapters
Kano
The trading city of the North · Red savanna and groundnut pyramids
Play KanoEra II · Independence
The five ages
- 1
Independence
1960–1962 · town-centre level 1Kano is the trading city of the North. Groundnuts from the farms are stacked into great pyramids by the railway, waiting for the trains to the coast, and Kano’s airport, the oldest in Nigeria, is a stop for airliners between Europe and West Africa.
- 2
The First Republic
1963–1967 · town-centre level 4The groundnut pyramids rise higher every year, and the old city’s dyers, weavers and leather workers sell across the Sahel. In 1966 soldiers seize power twice. On 27 May 1967 Kano becomes the capital of the new Kano State; three days later the East declares itself a separate republic.
- 3
The war
1967–1968 · town-centre level 7War begins on 6 July 1967. In July and August bombers from the East strike Kano’s airport. In this game the war comes to the city itself.
- 4
The end of the war
1969–1970 · town-centre level 10The last battles of the war. When the guns stop, the groundnut trade will carry Kano into the 1970s.
- 5
The 1970s
1970s · town-centre level 13 (beyond this era)The story continues in Khaki to Agbada.
People of Kano
The figures who appear as the city grows, run by the Administrator.
The Administrator
That is youRunning the North’s great trading city through the years of independence and war.
The groundnut traders
The pyramidsThey buy from the farmers and stack the sacks by the railway.
Portrait: fictional depiction
The dyers of Kofar Mata
The indigo pitsFamilies who have dyed cloth in the same pits for generations.
Portrait: fictional depictionYour hero in battle
Air support
Air supportA helicopter flies support for the police and the army. Ability: Air cover. Every unit nearby fights harder: +35% damage for 12 seconds.
The council
| Seat | Who they are | Speaks for |
|---|---|---|
| The Town Clerk | Runs the council offices | people, trade and the treasury |
| The Commissioner of Police | Security, and the army when war comes | the police, the army and Peace |
| Adviser on religious affairs | Churches and mosques | Faith and faith balance |
| Chief Education Officer | Schools and colleges | Progress and research |
| The groundnut buying agents | Merchants and traders | Wealth and Unity |
| Medical Officer of Health | Hospitals and clinics | Health |
| The ECN district engineer | Power | the grid |
| The regional government | It appoints the administrator | whether you keep your post |
The war
The East has broken away, and its bombers have already struck Kano’s airport. In this game its army marches north on the city. Seven battles stand between the secessionists and Kano.
From town-centre level 4 the council warns that war is coming. A battle comes each time the town centre reaches a new level from 5 to 11. Win 4 of the 7 and the nation holds together.
| Level | Battle | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | The raid on the airport | Bombers have hit the airport; now soldiers come to finish the job. |
| 6 | The Battle of Wudil | They cross the river at Wudil, south-east of the city. |
| 7 | The Battle of Kura | A column marches up the southern road through Kura. |
| 8 | The Battle of Bebeji | They take the old walled town of Bebeji to the south-west. |
| 9 | The Battle of the Challawa | They wade the Challawa river at dawn. |
| 10 | The Battle of Kofar Kudu | They reach Kofar Kudu, the South Gate of the old city. |
| 11 | The Battle for the city walls | The last assault on Kano’s ancient walls. |
The battles are the game’s own fiction set in real places near the city. No real leader appears, and neither side is painted as the villain.
Raiders and bosses
Who comes for the city in each age. Bosses come once you are into their age. How raids work.
| Age | Raiders | Boss |
|---|---|---|
| First Independence | Armed robbers | None |
| Second The First Republic | Street gangs | None |
| Third The war | Smugglers | A night of rioting After the bitter election |
| Fourth The end of the war | Looters | None |
| Fifth The 1970s | Deserters | None |
Soldiers
| Soldier | From level | |
|---|---|---|
| Police officer | Riot police with shields and batons. | 2 |
| Soldier | Infantry with rifles. | 3 |
| Armoured car | Hard to stop and slow to fall. | 7 |
| Marksman | One heavy shot from far away. | 10 |
Buildings
Every building Kano can raise, shown as it looks in the middle of the story. What each type does.
People
Housing estate
Unlocks at town-centre level 1From crowded yards to the new estates of the 1960s. Houses your people.
Hospital
Unlocks at town-centre level 4Raises Health, and healthy workers produce more. Raiders never touch it.
High Court
Unlocks at town-centre level 5Raises Trust and some Peace. Low Trust lets officials skim taxes.
Economy
Agro farm
Unlocks at town-centre level 1Mechanised farming and food processing. Tap it when it fills.
Cement works
Unlocks at town-centre level 1Cement for every building site in the city. Materials.
Steel works
Unlocks at town-centre level 2Iron rods and steel frames. Materials.
Cold store
Unlocks at town-centre level 1Refrigerated food storage. Raises your Food storage.
Warehouse
Unlocks at town-centre level 1Containers and building stock. Raises your Materials storage.
Bank
Unlocks at town-centre level 3Raises how much Wealth you can keep.
Market
Unlocks at town-centre level 3Umbrella stalls that grow into malls. Wealth, plus a little Unity.
ECN power station
Unlocks at town-centre level 1The Electricity Corporation of Nigeria’s station. Every building draws power; when supply runs short, the lights go out.
Railway goods yard
Unlocks at town-centre level 10Groundnuts, hides and cotton leave for the coast by rail. A large Wealth producer.
Culture
Church
Unlocks at town-centre level 1Raises Faith. Keep churches and mosques in balance: if one far outnumbers the other, Unity falls. Raiders never touch it.
Mosque
Unlocks at town-centre level 1Raises Faith. Keep mosques and churches in balance: if one far outnumbers the other, Unity falls. Raiders never touch it.
University
Unlocks at town-centre level 4Lecture halls that grow into a tech campus. Makes Knowledge and runs research. Raiders never touch it.
Stadium
Unlocks at town-centre level 4Match days and concerts. Raises Unity. A big enough stadium can host the Africa Cup of Nations.
Air Force base
Unlocks at town-centre level 7The Nigerian Air Force was formed in 1964. Brings a helicopter to your forces.
Gidan Makama
Unlocks at town-centre level 8An old palace of Kano, said to date from the 15th century, with carved walls and domed rooms. Heritage for the ladder.
Defence
Police station
Unlocks at town-centre level 3Raises Peace and keeps robbers off the streets.
Security post
Unlocks at town-centre level 2A floodlit post behind sandbags that fires on attackers.
Security wall
Unlocks at town-centre level 4Concrete walls with razor wire and cameras, section by section.
Checkpoint
Unlocks at town-centre level 4A manned barrier where an avenue crosses the security wall.
Armoured car troop
Unlocks at town-centre level 10Armoured cars behind sandbags. Hits hard, reloads slowly.
Army
Army barracks
Unlocks at town-centre level 2Each level holds more soldiers.
Industrial park
Unlocks at town-centre level 5Factories and workshops. Raises Progress.
Landmarks
Dala Hill
Unlocks at town-centre level 4The hill where Kano began, and still the old city’s lookout. Unity and visitors.
Kofar Mata dye pits
Unlocks at town-centre level 6Indigo pits said to date from 1498, still worked by dyeing families. Wealth and Heritage.
Kano airport
Unlocks at town-centre level 8Nigeria’s oldest airport, in service since 1936; in the 1960s airliners between Europe and West Africa stop here to refuel. Wealth and Progress.
The groundnut pyramids
Unlocks at town-centre level 7Sacks of groundnuts stacked into pyramids by the railway, the symbol of the North’s wealth in the 1960s. Wealth and visitors.
Research
| Technology | Branch | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Improved seed | Farming | Better seed and fertiliser: +10% Food. |
| Cold chains | Farming | Less food spoils on the way: +15% Food storage. |
| Irrigation | Farming | Year-round farming: +15% Food. |
| Agro-processing | Farming | More value from every harvest: +20% Food. |
| Building codes | Building | Fewer collapses, faster approvals: builds 8% faster. |
| Steel frames | Building | Taller and stronger: buildings +10% sturdier. |
| Local cement | Building | Cheaper materials: builds cost 8% less. |
| Prefab towers | Building | Factory-built floors: builds 10% faster. |
| Police training | Defence | Better trained officers: +8% damage. |
| CCTV network | Defence | Cameras on every post: posts +12% damage. |
| Body armour | Defence | Better protection: +12% unit health. |
| Drones | Defence | Eyes in the sky: +12% damage. |
| Instant payments | Trade | Transfers in seconds: +10% Wealth. |
| Ease of business | Trade | Fewer forms and fees: +12% Wealth. |
| Free trade zone | Trade | Investors and exporters move in: +20% Wealth. |
| Teacher training | Learning | Better teachers: +15% Knowledge. |
| Tech hubs | Learning | Coders and start-ups: research 15% faster. |
| Research labs | Learning | Universities that invent: +20% Knowledge. |
| Festival calendar | Heritage | Concerts, carnivals and festivals: Faith and Unity rise. |
| Nollywood studios | Heritage | Films for the whole continent: Heritage. |
| Afrobeats on the world stage | Heritage | The city’s sound goes global: Heritage. |
| Fintech signature | Heritage | Signature tech. Money moves by phone: Knowledge and Progress. |
| Urban rail signature | Defence | Signature tech. Trains link the districts: walls and posts 25% stronger. |
Did you know?
- Kano’s airport, in service since 1936, is the oldest in Nigeria.
- In the 1960s groundnut sacks were stacked into pyramids in Kano while they waited for the railway.
- The Kofar Mata dye pits are said to date from 1498.
- On 27 May 1967 Kano became the capital of the new Kano State.
- In July and August 1967 bombers from the East raided Kano’s airport.
- Nigeria became independent on 1 October 1960 and a republic on 1 October 1963.
- In 1960 the national motto was “Unity and Faith”; “Peace and Progress” were added in 1978.
- On 27 May 1967 the four regions were replaced by twelve states.
- The Electricity Corporation of Nigeria ran the power stations until NEPA was formed in 1972.