President Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, describing him as a tireless administrator who “does not sleep until the job is done.”

The President made the remark while commissioning the newly constructed Collector Road C01 and its bridge in the Institution and Research District of the Federal Capital Territory, where he also said the ongoing transformation of Abuja reflected the broader development agenda of his administration across Nigeria.

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike

Tinubu was represented at the ceremony by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Details of the event were contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, titled, ‘President Tinubu: Abuja’s Transformation Mirrors Nigeria’s Development.’

Commending Wike’s leadership, Tinubu said the FCT minister had once again demonstrated his commitment to delivering projects.

“He has proven once again that when he is given a job, he does not sleep until it is done,” the President said.

Tinubu described infrastructure as the greatest enabler of economic prosperity, insisting that his administration would not allow governance to be defined by abandoned projects or unfulfilled promises.

“When you build roads, you open up districts. When you open up districts, you invite investment. And when investment comes, Nigeria grows,” he said.

According to the President, the transformation taking place in the Federal Capital Territory serves as a model for the development his administration intends to replicate across the country.

“The transformation of Abuja is a microcosm of the transformation we are bringing to the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

He pledged to continue investing in cities, satellite towns and rural communities, noting that every Nigerian deserved the dividends of good governance.

Tinubu recalled that the road project originated from an appeal by the Body of Benchers during the Nigerian Law School Call to Bar ceremony last year, when concerns were raised over traffic congestion and poor access roads around the Institution and Research District.

“I told him, ’Look, we cannot have the legal luminaries of our nation navigating potholes to train our future advocates.

“We cannot have students arriving late to lectures because of a lack of a simple bridge.’

“We did not just talk about it. We approved it under emergency procurement. And today, just months later, here we are,” he said.

The President noted that the construction had generated hundreds of direct and indirect jobs for young Nigerians, describing it as evidence of how infrastructure investment stimulates economic growth.

He also expressed satisfaction that the project had eased movement for students, lecturers and residents who previously endured severe traffic congestion in the area.

“We promised Renewed Hope. And today, as we stand on this newly constructed Collector Road C01, complete with its bridge, we are not just looking at the physical road; we are looking at a promise kept,” Tinubu said.

In his remarks, Wike disclosed that Wednesday’s inauguration marked the 21st project commissioned in the FCT under the current administration.

The minister thanked Tinubu for providing the resources needed to execute infrastructure projects across the territory and for removing the FCT Administration from the Treasury Single Account, a move he said had improved project delivery.

The Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, thanked the President for what she described as unprecedented infrastructure development across the capital city and assured him of residents’ commitment to protecting public assets.

Also speaking, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, Richard Dauda, said the newly completed road, which features a link bridge, underground drainage system and solar-powered streetlights, would improve connectivity to research and educational institutions in the district as well as surrounding communities in line with the FCT Master Plan.