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President Bola Tinubu has said the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is witnessing significant improvements under the leadership of Minister Nyesom Wike, describing the transformation of Abuja as evidence that effective governance delivers visible results.
The president spoke on Friday at a special thanksgiving dinner held in Abuja to mark the inauguration of 31 projects across the FCT within 28 days.
Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu said the nation’s capital had undergone remarkable changes 50 years after its creation, commending Wike and his team for their commitment to delivering infrastructure and public services.
He said leadership should be judged by tangible outcomes rather than promises, noting that every completed road, bridge and public project strengthens unity, expands opportunities and restores public confidence in government.
Tinubu also described the FCT as a city that belongs to all Nigerians, where diversity, unity and national aspirations converge.
“Tonight turns out to be the night given to God Almighty. I will thank God for our lives and for the survival of our country many years later. I will also thank God for the residents and indigenous people of the Federal Capital Territory.
“Fifty years after Nigeria created the FCT, things changed, things have turned around, and things are getting better,” he said.
“Every new road here shortens somebody’s journey. Every new bridge connects more than communities; it connects friendship, love, and unity, and it also connects opportunities for Nigerians.
“Every completed project quietly tells Nigerians that the government can still work when vision meets determination,” he added.
Former Minister of the FCT and current Special Adviser to the President on General Duties, Office of the Vice President, Aliyu Modibbo, who represented Vice President Kashim Shettima, praised Wike’s performance and expressed hope that he would continue as FCT minister beyond the current administration, saying four years would not be enough to complete the ongoing transformation.
In his remarks, Wike said he inherited a demoralised civil service when he assumed office in August 2023 but introduced reforms to improve workers’ welfare and productivity.
He said one of the key achievements of the administration was the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, approved by President Tinubu, which created opportunities for career progression up to the ranks of Permanent Secretary and Head of the Civil Service.
According to the minister, the improved motivation among civil servants contributed to the completion of nine projects in Tinubu’s first year in office, 19 in the second year and 31 in the third year.
Wike also attributed the administration’s infrastructure drive to the removal of the FCT from the Treasury Single Account, which enabled the territory to access financing from commercial banks to execute projects.
He said about 70 per cent of the projects completed under the current administration were abandoned projects inherited from previous governments, adding that the Inner Southern Expressway remained the only major project yet to be completed.
“Comparatively, what Tinubu has done and will continue to do in the FCT is unprecedented. Most of the projects we completed were not initiated by the current administration, and 70 per cent of them were abandoned projects.
“The only project that was not completed is the Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX),” Wike said.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Tajudeen Abbas, represented by House Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere, described Wike as the best-performing FCT minister so far, saying Abuja had experienced unprecedented transformation under his leadership.
Speaking on behalf of contractors, Julius Berger Managing Director, Dr Peer Lubasch, commended Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development and praised Wike’s leadership, saying the minister’s vision and sustained investment were helping to transform Abuja into one of Africa’s leading planned capitals.
