The northern Nigerian city of Kano erupted in colour and celebration this week as 1,500 couples were married in an annual state-sponsored mass wedding ceremony, one of the largest of its kind on the continent. Brides in red hijabs and grooms in matching red hats and white robes gathered at the palace of the Emir — the city's traditional Muslim leader — for the official solemnisation of their unions on Friday, with marriages conducted under Islamic rites. The two-day event concluded on Saturday with a wedding breakfast hosted by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, who offered his blessing to the newlyweds.

The Kano state government spent approximately 1.5 billion naira (around $1 million) on the initiative, providing each couple with roughly 1 million naira ($735) worth of support. That package includes essential household items — beds, mattresses, pillows, furniture and food supplies — as well as a dowry of 100,000 naira for each bride and a further 100,000 naira in start-up capital to encourage small-scale entrepreneurship. The scheme, which draws couples from all 44 of Kano's local government areas, was first launched in 2012 under a previous governor, when 100 couples — primarily widows and divorcees — married at the palace. It has grown steadily since, with this year's edition attracting around 5,000 applicants for the 1,500 available places.

The selection process is overseen by the Hisbah, Kano's Islamic police force, which operates in a state where Sharia law runs alongside the secular legal system. All couples must undergo comprehensive medical screening, including tests for HIV, hepatitis, pregnancy and genotype compatibility, before being approved. Officials acknowledge the vetting process is challenging. Some applicants were disqualified after tampering with medical results; in one case, a woman presented her brother as her intended groom. A couple who were already married also attempted to register as first-time applicants before being detected. Reports of individuals offering to secure places on the list in exchange for bribes have also emerged, though the Hisbah stressed the scheme is entirely free and that those soliciting money were not official staff.

For many participants, the programme represents a genuine lifeline.