Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has reaffirmed the FCT Administration’s commitment to reviewing and upgrading the Abuja Master Plan.
This pledge was made during a visit from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) team in Abuja.
“For us, be assured that it is a project that we are committed to, and we will do all we can to see that the project comes to fruition,” Wike stated, emphasising the project’s importance.
The minister also promised to meet the FCTA’s expectations for the project’s implementation and expressed his commitment to strengthening collaboration with JICA for the development of the FCT, including satellite towns ¹.
Shehu Ahmad, Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, highlighted the necessity of reviewing the 45-year-old Abuja Master Plan to address current challenges in the capital city.
These challenges include infrastructure, water supply, power supply, and storm water and wastewater drainage systems. Ahmad also emphasised the need for a smart city and addressing urban mobility issues.
The JICA team, supported by technical teams from critical FCTA and FCDA departments, has begun collecting data for the project’s inception report ¹. An international conference will be convened to gather stakeholder input once the report is approved.
Japan’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, noted JICA’s successful projects in FCT, including nutrition improvement and open defecation elimination.
Nobukuyi Kobe from JICA’s Infrastructure Management Department outlined the project’s goals, including ensuring sustainability and formulating regional infrastructure development strategies for 2025-2050.