President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday declared an end to decades of abandoned strategic projects and land speculation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as he unveiled the Sales Office and Experience Centre for the multi-billion-dollar Abuja City Gate project.
Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the launch in Abuja, said the development marks a major milestone in the Renewed Hope Agenda and would transform the long-neglected Abuja Technology Village corridor into a world-class investment destination.
He disclosed that the Federal Government had granted the corridor Free Trade Zone status to boost regional trade, medical tourism, premium retail and hospitality businesses.
Describing the project as one of Nigeria’s biggest private-sector investments, the President said it would generate tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs while positioning Abuja as a global commercial hub.
“For 20 years, the Abuja Technology Village corridor lay dormant. Today, through aggressive land administration reforms and the eradication of bureaucratic bottlenecks, it is being transformed into a bustling construction hub,” Tinubu said.
He described the opening of the Sales Office and Experience Centre as “the unveiling of a window to a multi-billion-dollar future,” stressing that his administration is matching promises with action.
“The Abuja City Gate is one of the most ambitious private-sector investment projects in the history of our great nation. It will serve as Nigeria’s foremost gateway to the world,” he added.
The President assured investors that Nigeria remains open for business, saying government has continued to strengthen legal, financial and regulatory frameworks to guarantee the safety of investments.
Tinubu also hailed FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for reviving the Abuja Technology Village project after decades of stagnation through sweeping land administration reforms.
Earlier, the FCT Minister Barr Nyesom Wike recounted how the FCT Administration reclaimed the site from land grabbers and individuals with forged land documents after more than 30 years of inactivity.
“This place was supposed to be the Technology Village for over 30 years. Instead, people were sharing the land and forging documents. I put my foot down and said this is government property and development must come to the FCT,” Wike declared.
The minister said the FCT Administration removed bureaucratic bottlenecks by setting up a high-powered implementation committee under his leadership to fast-track approvals.
According to him, building approvals were processed within two days, while access roads to the project site were completed as agreed, demonstrating government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for investors.
Wike, however, warned the developers against failing to meet agreed timelines.
“We signed a Memorandum of Understanding with clear milestones. If those timelines are not met, we will take back our land. I am not interested in theories; I am interested in execution,” he warned.
He credited the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Emem Usoro, for introducing the development partners, describing the project as a major vote of confidence in President Tinubu’s investment-driven economic policies.
In his welcome address, Executive Director of Link Developments Master Developer, City Walk Dr. Kassim Gidado, said the Experience Centre marks the beginning of a world-class “city within a city” designed to redefine urban development in Nigeria.
He said the 250-hectare Abuja City Gate project would house a Google Tech Village, Knowledge Park with two universities, hospitals, City Walk malls, five-star hotels, exhibition centres, luxury residences, parks, police and fire stations, places of worship, and what is projected to become the largest indoor multipurpose arena in West Africa.
Gidado added that the Experience Centre provides investors with an immersive view of the project through interactive digital displays, physical models and prototype apartments, showcasing a master plan aimed at making Abuja a leading destination for innovation, commerce and sustainable urban living.
