Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has sought Qatar’s expertise in urban development, proposing a partnership between Abuja and Doha to improve city planning, transportation and infrastructure.
This is as the minister also moved to address a dispute over land allocated to Qatar for its embassy in Abuja, assuring the Gulf country that the FCT Administration would intervene to resolve concerns over the property.
The minister spoke on Tuesday when he received Qatar’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Yousef Mohammed Ahmed Al-Hail, who raised concerns over a court letter challenging the country’s ownership of an 8,000-square-metre plot earmarked for its embassy.
The ambassador appealed to the FCT Administration to clarify the situation and enable Qatar to proceed with its development plans.
Wike assured him that the matter would be addressed, saying, “Be assured that nothing will happen. We want to assure you that whatever the issue is, we will take action on it.”
On the proposed partnership, the minister said Abuja could draw lessons from Qatar’s experience in developing modern cities, particularly in urban planning and infrastructure.
He proposed sending an FCT delegation to Qatar to study its development models and identify ideas that could be adapted to the capital city.
“We want to partner with you. We will come and see how we can visit Qatar and see what they have done in terms of developing new cities. Planning and the concepts are very key,” he said.
Wike also proposed discussions with Qatar Charity on possible interventions in education, healthcare, housing and community infrastructure, as the administration seeks partnerships to improve social services in the territory.
Earlier, Al-Hail called for a formal cooperation framework between Abuja and Doha, saying an exchange of expertise could support development in both cities.
He identified transportation, urban planning, infrastructure and investment as key areas for collaboration, citing Qatar’s experience in developing modern transport networks, educational facilities and aviation infrastructure.
The ambassador said he was ready to review a draft cooperation agreement and advance arrangements for a possible visit by FCT officials to Qatar.
He also drew attention to investment opportunities for Nigerians in Qatar, particularly in the property and business sectors, following reforms aimed at attracting foreign capital.
On air connectivity, Al-Hail said Qatar Airways operated flights linking Doha with Abuja and Lagos, adding that the airline planned to increase capacity to meet passenger demand.
He said closer ties between both countries could expand opportunities for trade, tourism, investment and other forms of cooperation.
The proposed partnership would provide a framework for Abuja and Doha to exchange development expertise, while the FCT Administration works to address Qatar’s concerns over its embassy land.
