Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s infrastructure agenda as evidence of courageous and purposeful leadership, arguing that the administration’s ongoing investments in roads, rail, power and other critical sectors are laying the foundation for Nigeria’s long-term development.
Wike spoke on Saturday while delivering the 36th Convocation Lecture of the University of Port Harcourt titled, “Leadership and Infrastructure Development in Nigeria: Lessons for Future Leaders.”
The minister said President Tinubu had demonstrated the political will required to confront difficult national challenges and redirect resources towards projects capable of transforming the country’s economic landscape.
According to him, the current administration’s approach to infrastructure development reflects a deliberate effort to bridge the gap between Nigeria’s vast potential and its developmental realities.
“The evidence increasingly suggests that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated, beyond reasonable doubt, the courage to confront difficult choices, the capacity to mobilise national resources, and the will to pursue infrastructure as a serious instrument of transformation,” Wike stated.
He noted that while some of the projects currently being executed were initiated by previous administrations, the Tinubu government had reinvigorated them and integrated them into a broader national development strategy.
The former Rivers State governor cited flagship projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, East-West Road and access roads to the Second Niger Bridge as examples of the administration’s commitment to expanding economic opportunities and strengthening national integration.
Wike also highlighted ongoing efforts to revitalise rail transportation through the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway corridor and the expansion of standard-gauge rail infrastructure.
In the power sector, he pointed to reforms under the Presidential Power Initiative, rural electrification programmes and investments in transmission infrastructure as steps towards addressing Nigeria’s longstanding electricity challenges.
The minister described the removal of fuel subsidy as one of the administration’s most significant policy decisions, saying it reflected the courage often required to pursue long-term national interests.
“Transformative leadership often requires the courage to choose long-term stability over short-term comfort,” he said.
According to Wike, infrastructure remains the most visible expression of leadership effectiveness, noting that sustainable development depends on investments in transportation, power, housing, healthcare, education and digital connectivity.
He further identified initiatives such as the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Programme, the National Hydrogen Policy, the Renewed Hope Housing Programme and the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as indicators of a government focused on structural transformation.
The minister stressed that infrastructure development should be evaluated not by the number of projects announced but by their completion, sustainability and impact on citizens’ lives.
He urged Nigerians to support policies and programmes aimed at strengthening the country’s economic and social foundations, warning that development requires consistency and sustained commitment.
“If this trajectory is to be consolidated, deepened and translated into lasting national outcomes, it requires not interruption in leadership, but continuity; not hesitation, but sustained commitment,” he said.
Addressing graduating students, Wike challenged them to embrace visionary, disciplined and service-oriented leadership, insisting that Nigeria’s future would depend on leaders capable of translating ideas into tangible results.
The convocation lecture formed part of activities marking the university’s 36th Convocation Ceremony and attracted academics, students, alumni, government officials and other dignitaries from across the country.
