FCT Minister says Tinubu’s directive against abandoned projects drove infrastructure completion
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that about 60 per cent of projects completed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) under his leadership were originally awarded 15 to 16 years ago but abandoned.
Speaking during his monthly media chat on the state of the nation in Abuja on Thursday, Wike said the decision to revive and complete the long-abandoned projects was in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive that no government project should be left unfinished.
According to the minister, the President instructed the FCTA to prioritise the completion of inherited projects while also initiating new infrastructure across the nation’s capital.
“The President said we can’t abandon old projects and while we can’t abandon old projects, we must also see that we carry out new projects,” Wike said.
He disclosed that a significant proportion of the projects executed over the past three years were contracts awarded more than a decade ago but left incomplete by previous administrations.
“I can tell you that about 60 per cent of the projects we have done for the past three years were projects that were awarded 15 to 16 years ago but abandoned,” he stated.
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Wike said allowing the projects to remain abandoned would continue to hamper development in the FCT and attract criticism from residents.
“And if we had allowed that, you would now know what would have happened in Abuja. Even if we do any new thing, you will say, look at these areas that have been abandoned,” he said.
The minister added that the administration’s priority was to complete inherited projects before embarking on fresh ones.
“So what we did first was to make sure that projects that were awarded and abandoned, let us see how to finish them, which we have done—not less than 70 per cent,” he added.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.