Kwankwaso's time in office was characterised with a number of notable achievements.

 

 During his first tenure in office as Governor (1999 to 2003), he established the Kano University of Science and Technology in Wudil, the first and only state university in Kano at the time. And what he was able to achieve in all spheres of human development, created hisba board, distributed schools uniforms, test book and feeding the pupils in all primary school in Kano state. E.t.c

  During his second tenure (2011 to 2015), Kwankwaso established the North West University, Kano the second state University in Kano.

 He also established 26 academic and manpower development training Institutes and through these institutes over 360,000 youth and women were trained and empowered. He is the first Governor in Nigeria to introduce free school feeding and uniform for primary school pupils. This exponentially increased the school enrolment figures from 1 million in 2011 to over 3 million in 2015 when he left office.

His passion for education saw to the introduction of free education at all levels in the State and saw to the adequate provision of teaching and learning materials. He established 230 secondary schools out of which 47 are Technical Colleges, 44 School of Islamic Studies, a Chinese College, a French College, and the first boarding Girls College as well as a Boys College in Damagaran and Niamey; jointly with the Government of Niger Republic. In his four years as the Governor of Kano State, he has awarded over 2,600 postgraduate and undergraduate foreign scholarships in 14 countries across the world. This is in addition to the local private University scholarship in Nigeria.

In the area of infrastructure for the first time in the history of Northern Nigeria 3 Flyover bridges were constructed, 5 km dual carriage lighted roads were being constructed in each of the 44 local Government Areas of Kano, constructed 2 Underpass bridges. Kwankwaso also initiated the covering of drainages with interlocking tiles in the state, including the covering of the Jakara River which cuts across the city of Kano with a dualised road, which greatly improved the environmental and sanitary condition of the entire city of Kano.

Kwankwaso has also built many houses and estates in both his first and second tenure in office.Three modern cities Kwankwasiyya, Amana and Bandirawo were build with about 3000 housing units of various capacities put up for sale to the general public. About 1500 houses have been constructed and donated free to the rural poor communities and victims of flood disaster.