PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria — Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike said Wednesday that every major capital project begun in Abuja under President Bola Tinubu’s administration will be completed before the president’s current term ends in 2027, pointing to what he described as accelerated investment in roads, water systems and other public infrastructure. Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Port Harcourt, Wike said the FCT administration was handling 107 capital projects associated with the Tinubu government and that 76 had already been completed.
Wike said another 10 projects were expected to be ready before Nigeria’s 2027 election season, with the remaining projects scheduled for completion before the administration leaves office. “Before this tenure expires, every project started under Bola Tinubu would have been completed,” he said. Nigeria’s election commission currently lists the presidential and legislative elections for January 2027, placing additional political attention on government performance as Tinubu seeks to present infrastructure development as part of his broader economic agenda.
The minister also highlighted efforts to finish projects inherited from earlier governments, an enduring problem in Nigeria where major public works can span several administrations. Wike said the FCT inherited 25 projects from former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government and had completed 23, with two still under construction. Of eight projects dating to the administrations of former Presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, he said six had been completed and two remained underway.
Wike argued that the pace of construction under Tinubu was unprecedented in the history of the federal capital and challenged critics to compare the administration’s record with those of its predecessors. “In the history of the FCT, no government has done what we have done in Abuja,” he said. The figures were presented by Wike as part of the administration’s performance record, and the media briefing did not include an independent audit of the projects or their total cost.
Infrastructure has been central to Abuja’s development since physical construction of Nigeria’s purpose-built capital began in 1979. The Federal Capital Territory Administration says the city’s master plan covers roads, water supply, sewage systems, electricity and telecommunications, while major works remain at different stages of completion in the central city and surrounding satellite communities. Recent projects promoted by the Tinubu administration have included expanded water networks, major road corridors and links intended to reduce congestion and improve access between central Abuja and rapidly growing outlying districts.
The completion drive carries significance beyond domestic politics because Abuja is Nigeria’s administrative and diplomatic center and serves as a base for foreign embassies, international organizations and businesses operating in Africa’s most populous country. Reliable roads, water and transportation networks can influence investment, productivity and the quality of life for residents as the capital continues to expand. Whether the administration meets Wike’s timetable will provide a measurable test of Tinubu’s infrastructure promises as Nigeria approaches another national election and as voters assess the government’s broader economic record.
