Ibrahim Dabo was Emir of Kano from 1819 to 1846. Of the Sullubawa

Sullubawa

The Sullubawa were a clan of Kano State, Nigeria. They are said to have originated in Futa Torro, in what is now Senegal and are associated with the Fulani. A royal clan, the Sullubawa were said to have become "heriditary beneficiaries of all positions of authority in all but one Hausa state...

 clan, he embarked upon policies to centralize the administration and raise revenue.
During his tenure as emir he was responsible for establishing several ribat

Ribat

A ribat is an Arabic term for a small fortification as built along a frontier during the first years of the Muslim conquest of North Africa to house military volunteers, called the murabitun...

s, including Fanisau and Waceni. His centralization saw the revival of old royal slave titles which he exploited to strengthen his own position.
Dabo invaded the Ningi chiefdom

Ningi Chiefdom

The Ningi Chiefdom was a chiefdom in central Africa which existed from around 1847 to 1902 when it was defeated by the British. It was established initially following the Sokoto Caliphate Revolt, a non-Muslim group of mountaineers who throughout the 19th century showed great resistance to the...

 but was defeated by Gwarsum

Gwarsum

Gwarsum was a 19th-century leader of the Ningi chiefdom. Little is known about him, but from around 1807 he looked to increased the size of his chiefdom in the area that is now Butawa Territory...

 at Basshe.
Dabo was known to have written out the Qu'ran and had three daughters.