Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday declared Abuja open for business, saying ongoing reforms by the FCT Administration are aimed at making the nation’s capital Nigeria’s preferred investment destination.
He, however, warned that the administration would not tolerate land fraud, illegal developments and other practices capable of undermining investor confidence, insisting that only genuine investors would enjoy government support.
Wike, who spoke at the opening of the third Abuja Business and Investment Expo, ABIE, said the transformation of the capital under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda had laid a solid foundation for sustainable economic growth driven by private sector investment.
The minister, who was represented by the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, described infrastructure as the bedrock of economic development. He said the administration was investing heavily in roads, urban renewal, water supply, transportation, healthcare and education to make Abuja more attractive to investors.
A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media to the FCT Minister of State, Austine Elemue, said the administration has moved beyond promises by completing abandoned projects, opening new development corridors and extending critical infrastructure to satellite towns and area councils.
It further stated that reforms in land administration, digital governance, revenue collection and institutional accountability were eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks, improving transparency and creating a more predictable business environment for investors.
The minister said genuine investors would continue to receive government support, but warned that fraudulent land allocations, multiple ownership claims and illegal developments would be dealt with decisively.
“Ease of doing business does not mean the absence of regulation. We will support and protect genuine investors, but we will not protect land speculators, fraudulent developers or businesses that disregard the law,” he said.
Wike identified real estate, transportation, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, education, renewable energy, technology, creative industries, waste management and urban infrastructure as priority sectors for investment.
He urged investors to take advantage of opportunities in emerging districts and rapidly growing satellite towns, saying Abuja’s next phase of economic expansion would extend beyond the city centre.
The minister assured investors that the FCTA would continue to provide quality infrastructure, policy stability and an enabling environment, while expecting the private sector to create jobs and deliver projects that support economic growth.
He also pointed to the FCT’s fourth-place ranking in the 2025 Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council, PEBEC, Subnational Ease of Doing Business assessment, where it scored 61 per cent, as evidence of efforts to improve governance and simplify investment processes.
Wike said the administration would not relent until Abuja becomes Nigeria’s leading investment destination and one of Africa’s most competitive business hubs.
Earlier, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Abuja Investments Company Limited, AICL, Amb. Maureen Tamuno, said the three-day expo was designed to attract investment, promote partnerships and unlock the economic potential of the Federal Capital Territory.
She said the event, themed “Building Nigeria’s Capital: Investment as a Catalyst for Economic Growth,” would feature investment forums, exhibitions, networking sessions and policy dialogues on real estate, infrastructure, technology, renewable energy, solid minerals, sports and the creative economy.
Tamuno expressed confidence that the expo would generate strategic partnerships and investments that would accelerate economic growth in Abuja and across the country.
