By Stanley Onyekwere
Just as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) mark their golden jubilee, a new era of rapid transformation is sweeping through Nigeria’s capital city.
In a landmark presentation to the FCT Minister and Chairman of the FCDA Board, Barr. Nyesom Wike, the Acting Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda, detailed the journey of the city from its 1976 inception.
Recall that the story of Abuja began in August 1975 with the Justice Akinola Aguda Committee, which recommended moving the capital from Lagos. And on February 4, 1976, Decree No. 6 established the FCT, birthing a dream to build a world-class capital.
While the city has seen significant growth, the road has been long:
Phase I Development: Now stands at 85% completion, featuring robust road networks and essential services.
Phases II & III: Currently at 30% and 10% completion, respectively.
Master Plan Review: To meet the needs of a population now projected to hit 5.5 million, the FCT has partnered with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to modernize the Abuja Master Plan.
The presentation highlighted a sharp contrast between the “slow pace” of previous decades and the “unprecedented” achievements recorded since August 2023.
Under the leadership of Wike, popularly known as “Mr. Project,” the FCT has moved from stagnant inherited projects to a flurry of commissions.
Engr. Dauda noted that the expansion of the city into “Phase V”—including new districts like Guzape and Maitama Extension—has increased the planned city area from 562sq km to 801sq km.
“The vision of our forebearers to build a first-class capital city is on course”, Dauda stated, pledging the FCDA’s total loyalty to the current administration’s drive to finalize the “New Abuja.”
Glaringly, the FCDA management credits the proactive leadership of Minister Wike and the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for turning the capital into a massive construction site aimed at global excellence.
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