Nigerian President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to transforming Abuja into a model capital city through sustained infrastructure development. He said improved transport networks would boost economic growth and enhance connectivity across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Vice President Kashim Shettima who represented Tinubu during the inauguration of Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way), linking Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III in the Dape District of Abuja said the FCT was being positioned to reflect Nigeria’s growing population, economic ambitions and national identity.
He added that infrastructure remained a key indicator of national progress. “Infrastructure is the measure by which every civilised nation announces its seriousness. “No capital can carry the weight of national ambition if its arteries are blocked by neglect, excuses and abandoned promises,” Tinubu said.
The president said his administration would continue to invest in strategic projects that improve connectivity, stimulate economic activity and strengthen public confidence in governance.
Tinubu said the road infrastructure inherited by his administration required sustained intervention, adding that work on inherited projects had continued without interruption.”There has been no break, no pause and no retreat in the construction and rehabilitation of the roads we inherited. “That is why we have ended the tradition of abandoned projects and restored faith in the power of government to finish what it starts”, he said.
According to him, the Dape District section of the Arterial Road N5 project was conceived, funded and completed under the current administration, marking a departure from the practice of prolonged project delays. “In the past, projects like this became permanent budget items with 10 or 15 years of excuses. Under this administration, that era is over,” he said.
Tinubu commended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for driving infrastructure delivery in the capital and praised the contractor for completing the project as expected.
“The Honourable Minister has shown what happens when political will meets accountability. We fund projects to see results, not to hear explanations for failure,” he added.
The president described the road as more than a transport corridor, saying it would improve mobility, reduce traffic congestion and support economic activities across several districts.
He said the road would provide faster connections between Dape, Karmo, Gwarinpa I, Kado, Idu and Mbora, while improving access to the Idu Industrial District.
Tinubu stated that sustaining infrastructure required cooperation from residents and businesses, urging them to fulfil tax obligations and land-related payments to enable the FCT Administration undertake more projects.
He also called on traditional rulers, community leaders and residents to safeguard public infrastructure against vandalism.
Earlier, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike credited Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for accelerating infrastructure development in Abuja and surrounding satellite towns. “For the first time, development has been taken to the FCT satellite towns. This is unprecedented,” Wike said.
Richard Dauda, acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, revealed that the project was awarded to Julius Berger in September 2024.
He said Arterial Road N5 is a major inter-district route extending from the Central Business District through several districts, including Wuse, Utako, Jabi, Gwarinpa and Dape.
According to Dauda, the six-lane dual carriageway, complete with parking lanes, is expected to enhance movement across the city and support Abuja’s long-term urban development plans.