Kaltume Gana gave shape and colour to Northern Nigerian stories, pushing them into national and international spotlight in the 1980s and early 1990s.

Her solo exhibitions and contributions to group shows like Islam in Africa in the 1980s marked her as a vital voice in the country's visual arts scene.

From her Queen Amina painting commissioned by the Zumunta Association in Washington, D.C., to her role as Assistant Director at Kano’s History & Culture Bureau, Gana’s work honoured heritage while widening the frame for what Nigerian art could hold.