*Officially opens sales office for iconic City Walk project
President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has restated the commitment of his administration to guarantee the safety of domestic and international investments, declaring that Nigeria, under his leadership, is ready and open for business.
This, he said, is further guaranteed by the ongoing optimization of legal, physical, and financial frameworks to protect capital, guarantee returns, and eliminate unnecessary administrative bottlenecks on the system.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja during the official launch of the Sales Office and Experience Centre for the landmark Abuja City Walk Development project, the President who was represented by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, described the project as a tangible manifestation of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“We are not just opening a building. We are unveiling the window to a multi-billion-dollar future. We are presenting a tangible manifestation of our Renewed Hope Agenda, sculpted in concrete, innovation, and unwavering determination,” he stated.
The Nigerian leader recalled an earlier promise he made to Nigerians on a radical economic transformation and infrastructure renewal, saying “the City Walk Experience Centre stands as proof that our administration does not just make promises, we execute them with determination.”
On the viability of the project, President Tinubu noted that “the Abuja City Walk is a shining symbol of what can be achieved when political will meets private sector expertise and capital.
“By granting this corridor a Free Trade Zone status, we have further eliminated trade friction, laying down a fertile environment for regional commerce, medical tourism, premium retail, and high-end hospitality, he added.
He commended the commitment of the FCT administration led by the Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike, in the realisation of the project, stating that “for 20 years, the Abuja Technology Village corridor lay dormant.
“Today, through aggressive land administration reforms and the eradication of bureaucratic inertia, it is being transformed into a bustling construction hub,” he pointed out.
The President noted that under the Renewed Hope Agenda, his administration was gradually putting a permanent end to the era of land speculation and abandoned mega-projects in Abuja.
His words: “We have made it clear that land is an asset for rapid development, not an instrument for developmental retrogression and speculative hoarding.
“Through this development, we are pushing the boundaries of architectural and engineering possibility in Africa. This magnificent project also underscores our deep conviction that sustainable national development cannot be carried out by the government alone.”
He charged the FCT Administration and partners in the project to maintain the intense momentum, insisting that the launch of the sales office and experience centre must translate immediately into accelerated brick-and-mortar execution on-site.
Earlier in his remarks, Minister of FCT said the formal launch of the Abuja City Walk project was a realisation of one of the cardinal objectives of administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to attract foreign direct investment and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.
Wike noted that while it is government’s responsibility to provide the enabling environment for investments to thrive and create employment opportunities, citizens must play their part by supporting government policies and programmes to ensure continuity and sustainability.
In an overview of the project, the Executive Director, Link Development, Dr Kassim Gidado, said the ocassion represented the beginning of a bold vision, dedicated realisation of a huge project milestone, and the cornerstone of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.
Dr Gidado explained that the centre was designed to provide, among other facilities, recreational spots, educational institutions, condusive residential accommodation, worship centres, shopping malls, a free trade zone and a green corridor, all targeted to create a city within the city of Abuja.
On behalf of the partners, he expressed the deep appreciation of all stakeholders to the President and the FCT management for the realisation of the Abuja City Walk project, designed to be among the best and iconic investment destinations around the world.
For his part, Peter John Young, CEO of BroadGate Development Group and Project Manager of Abuja City Walk, said the project would usher in a new era of global urban design.
He assured that the firm would work with the Government of Nigeria to deliver its envisioned destination for the Abuja Walk city, which has the potential to redefine urban development in Africa.
According to Neil Serridge, Deputy Director at Benoy and Master Planner for the project, the company considered it a privilege to embark on the massive development, which will feature architectural masterpieces and landmark infrastructure.
The highpoint of the ocassion was the guided tour of the Experience Centre by the Vice President and other dignitaries.
