Wike assures residents of improved connectivity under Renewed Hope Agenda
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed the FCT Administration’s commitment to delivering key infrastructure projects on schedule, disclosing that several major roads in Abuja will be completed by the end of May, while the Court of Appeal road project is scheduled for completion by September 2025.
Wike made this known on Tuesday during an inspection tour of ongoing road works across the territory, including the Giri district, Inner Northern Expressway (INEX), and the Outer Northern Expressway.
“We believe by the grace of God, all these projects will be ready by the end of May. But let me be clear—this does not include the Court of Appeal road. That one is scheduled for handover in September, so nobody can say we made a promise for May,” Wike said.
According to him, three major contractors—Salini (handling the Inner Northern Expressway), Levanti (on the Giri district project), and another contractor working on a separate access route—have all promised to hand over their respective projects by the end of May.
“These roads will open up critical areas like the Giri district, where the EFCC Academy and University of Abuja are located,” he added.
Wike, visibly impressed with the progress at the INEX bridge, which spans over the railway and connects Idu to Zuba, praised the contractors’ efforts. “Each time I visited that site, I complained about the roughness. But now, I’m impressed. The crossing over the rail line has been completed, and by next week, they will cast the concrete. It’s a major achievement,” he noted.
The Minister emphasized that road development is key to changing Abuja’s landscape and easing urban congestion.
“Connectivity is critical. With these roads, people won’t need to crowd the city center. From Giri to the city now takes just 15 minutes. That’s the goal of the Renewed Hope Agenda—to bring development closer to the people,” Wike explained.
When asked about his frequent site visits—rare among FCT Ministers—Wike said it was part of his responsibility to ensure that contractors deliver on quality and timelines.
“We can’t sit in our offices and assume jobs are going well. Yesterday, we went to the Mabushi bus terminal and had to correct a few things. If we hadn’t gone, we might have been embarrassed during commissioning,” he said.
Wike also assured that the FCTA is meeting its financial obligations to contractors to avoid project delays.
“We are happy with the work progress, and equally happy that residents in these communities now have roads linking them to the rest of Abuja. This is how we fulfill the promises of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he concluded.
