Gaya, Nigeria

11°52′5″N 9°0′40″E / 11.86806°N 9.01111°E / 11.86806; 9.01111StateKano StateArea • Total613 km² (237 sq mi)Elevation415 m (1,364 ft)Population • Total201,016Time zoneUTC+1 (West Africa Time) • Summer (DST)UTC+1 (West Africa Time)3-digit postal code prefixISO 3166 codeNG.KN.GY

Gaya is a Local Government Area in Kano State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Gaya in the north of the area.

It has an area of 613 km² and a population of 201,016 in the 2006 census.

The postal code of the area is 713.^[1]

Gaya is the oldest and most significant site in Kano's history and precedes the foundation of Kano itself. Gaya is believed to be the origin of a man named Kano who first settled in the present Kano State on his search for ironstone. The earliest known settlers of Kano were known as "Abagayawa". Gaya served as an important terminus of a migratory corridor through which there was an influx of immigrating peoples especially from Eastern Sudan, the Maghrib and the Middle East. Bagauda and his people were said to have passed through Gaya before making their way to Dala and establishing the Kingdom of Kano in 999 CE. Gaya was soon absorbed into the newly founded Kingdom by its adventurous new rulers and would become one of the most influential provinces in the State.

The traditional ruler of Gaya is known as the Sarkin Gaya. The present Sarkin Gaya, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdulkadir Gaya (born in 1930^{[citation needed]}) has been on the throne since his appointment in 1990. In May, 2019, he was elevated to the rank of Emir, along with three other traditional rulers, however this decision was reversed in 2024.^[2] Prior to his enthronement as Sarkin Gaya he Alhaji Ibrahim Gaya was previously the district head of Kunchi and then Minjibir.

Gaya experiences two distinct seasons, with the dry season being largely gloomy and damp, and the wet season being oppressive and humid. The average annual temperature ranges from 54 to 103 degrees Fahrenheit, rarely falling below 49 or rising over 107.^[3]

There are two distinct seasons—the dry and the rainy—that are experienced by the 613 square kilometer Gaya Local Government Area. At an average temperature of 33 degrees Celsius, the Local Government Area is situated at an elevation of approximately 415 meters above sea level. An average of 12 km/h is the wind speed in Gaya Local Government Area.^[4]

The primary source of income for the people living in Gaya Local Government Area is farming; the region is home to crops like cucumbers, rice, sorghum, and watermelons. Another important aspect of the Local Government Area's economic activity is the breeding of cattle. Trade is booming in Gaya Local Government Area as well because the area is home to several markets that give the locals a platform to buy and sell a wide range of goods.^[4]

• Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya

• Gaya, Nigeria Page. Falling Rain Genomics, Inc. 1996–2004. Retrieved 2009-03-25.
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