By Sarah NEGEDU
As Abuja prepares to mark 50 years as Nigeria’s capital, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, says the pace of infrastructure expansion across the territory has been made possible by the effective leadership currently steering the Federal Capital Development Authority.
The minister made the remarks during a courtesy visit by the FCDA management team, where he stressed that the transformation being witnessed in the city is the product of a solid institutional foundation and a focused administrative direction.
“Today, everybody is saying there is massive infrastructural development. If that was not made possible, we would still be hanging around and saying nothing is going on. So we must appreciate those who laid the foundation for us to get to where we are today.”
Wike said a committee would soon be inaugurated to plan the Abuja @50 celebrations, which will coincide with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s third year in office, describing the anniversary as an important moment to showcase the capital’s development journey.
He commended the Acting Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Richard Dauda, for aligning with the goals of the current administration, stressing that performance, and not sentiment, determines who occupies public office.
“When you have the right leadership, you get the results you want. Since your appointment as Acting Executive Secretary, I can see that you have aligned yourself with the aims and vision of this administration. You are up and doing.
“If you are not up and doing, you will not be there. There is no two ways about it. There is no blackmail about it. I will do it and heaven will not fall,” the minister added, noting that recent achievements justified confidence in the FCDA leadership.
Wike also praised the management and staff of the authority, saying the progress recorded so far was only possible because of cooperation and teamwork.
He stressed the need for public officials to understand the limits and responsibilities of their offices, and remain focused on service delivery rather than the perceived privileges of the job.
The miinister expressed concern over the neglect in satellite communities, citing a recent visit to Tudun Madaki where he found a lack of basic infrastructure “shocking.”
“I pitied the communities. But by the grace of God, when we complete the road to Zuba, you will see how the entire area will open up,” he said.
He criticised the long-standing overconcentration of development within the city centre at the expense of rural areas, saying many residents in the outskirts had been denied access roads and basic services.
“That is what we should be talking about, how to make people in the communities feel the impact of government. For many of them, whether government exists or not, they do not even know,” Wike said.
He assured that, with President Tinubu’s support, the FCT Administration would intensify efforts to open up underserved communities through sustained infrastructure rollout driven by the FCDA.
Earlier, the Acting Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Richard Dauda, presented a review of Abuja’s 50-year development journey, outlining key milestones and the strides made under the current administration.
In his briefing to the minister, Dauda traced Abuja’s origins to the 1976 decree establishing the FCT and the FCDA, noting that phased development over the decades had been slowed by funding limitations, rapid population growth and infrastructural gaps in satellite towns.
He highlighted the Abuja Master Plan of 1977-1979 and subsequent regional development frameworks, which guided the provision of roads, districts, water supply, power, sewerage and telecommunications.
He disclosed that while Phase I of the Federal Capital City has attained 85 percent completion, Phases II and III are currently at 30 and 10 percent respectively, while Phase IV is yet to be implemented.
Dauda also explained how population pressures necessitated the creation of Phase V, expanding the city from 562 to 801 square kilometres, and increasing the projected population to 5.5 million residents. He noted that the ongoing review of the Master Plan is being undertaken with support from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA.
Highlighting the progress achieved since August 2023, the Acting Executive Secretary said Wike’s leadership has driven the most intensive period of project completion in the FCDA’s history.
According to him, “Mr. Project commissioned about nine projects during the first-year anniversary of Mr. President in 2024, 17 projects in 2025, and with the 2026 anniversary, we are likely to hit 50 projects commissioned since assumption of duty,” he said.
Dauda praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the FCT Minister for their leadership, reaffirming the commitment of FCDA management and staff to building a world-class capital city as Abuja marks its golden jubilee.
