Modern Map of Ancient Kano City Gates (Kofa)

Kano City Gates - Kofofin Garin Kano

The amazing structure (the ancient walls of Kano city, Nigeria) was built during the reign of King Kijimazu (Sarki Gijimasu) between 1095 through 1134 and completed in the middle of the 14th century. They are ancient defensive walls built to protect the inhabitants of the ancient city of Kano and were described as "'the most impressive monument in West Africa".

Below is a copy of a Map produce in 2004 by 'Geography Dept, Bayero University, Kano (BUK)' showing the accient Wall and Gates.

The ancient wall is a 14km radius earth structure that surrounds the Dala Hills, Kurmi Market and Emir's Palace located in the heart of the modern day city of Kano as seen as the darkest spot on the map below.

The Ancient Kano City Walls originally had an estimated height of 30 to 50ft and about 40ft thick at the base with 15 gates (kofa) around it.

The names of the gates are:-

1~ Kofar Kansakali
2~ Kofar Kabuga
3~ Kofar Gadonkaya
4~ Kofar Dukawuya
5~ Kofar Waika/Adama
6~ Kofar Wambai
7~ Kofar Mazugal
8~ Kofar Mata
9~ Kofar Nassrawa
10~ Kofar Dan Agundi
11~ Kofar Na'isa
12~ Kofar Ruwa

13~ Kofar Fampo
14~ Sabuwar Kofa

15~ Kofar Dawanau

In todays modern Kano city, the gates are all that is left. Ninety percent of the walls have since disappeared, they are either gone or crumbling, very soon there will be nothing left of it and history of the walls would be erased completely.

Most of the gates have been rehabilitated and rebuild by the past Kano state government.

Adeyemi and Bappah coducted field survey in 2010 and obtained the following "Summary of Wall Measurements and Observations" below as published in their research paper.

Source: Conservation of Kano Ancient City Wall and Gates: Problems and Prospects in Nigeria, (2010)

Total length of the wall stretch out on a straight line is about 27.400km. Lets establish the facts above by locating the walls and gates on a "Modern Map of Ancient Kano City".


GPS Coordinates of the Gates

Modern Map of the Gates

Interactive Google map of the Gates