Kaduna was founded by the British in 1913, and became the capital of Nigeria's former Northern Region in 1917. It retained this status until 1967.
Persons hailing from Kaduna include Emmanuel Babayaro, Celestine Babayaro and Victor Moses (Nigerian footballers) and Fiona Fullerton (British actress and former Bond girl)
The Nigerian Islamic umbrella association Jama’atu Nasril Islam is based in the city.
From 1913 to 1914, as the peanut business was expanding, Kano suffered a major drought, which caused a famine. Other famines during British rule occurred in 1908, 1920, 1927, 1943, 1951, 1956, and 1958
