Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has described the IBB International Golf and Country Club as a strategic national tourism asset that must be preserved, upgraded, and properly managed to support Nigeria’s economic diversification drive through tourism.
Speaking during his first official visit to the club on Friday, Wike commended the club’s standard and tourism potential, stressing that his administration would not tolerate misuse or backdoor privatization of government-owned assets.
“This is the property of the Nigerian government, and I’m proud to see it being properly managed. Some countries don’t have oil or gas, but thrive on tourism. If we get this place running to international standards, it will attract serious investors and boost our image globally,” Wike said.
He emphasized that although the club would be run through a private management structure, ownership would remain fully with the government. “We didn’t say go and own it; we said go and manage it. There is a big difference, and we won’t allow anyone to take what belongs to the people,” he warned.
The minister said Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, which built the facility in the 1990s, would be engaged again to lead the rehabilitation of the clubhouse and surrounding infrastructure. “They built it originally. It’s only logical that they take charge of the upgrade. This is an emergency project,” he added.
Linking the upgrade of public infrastructure to tax compliance, Wike issued a stern warning to property owners and residents of Abuja who default on ground rent. “Where do you think the money to fix this will come from—my personal pocket? If you don’t pay your ground rent, I will seal up your property. Public projects depend on public responsibility,” he declared.
Wike affirmed the administration’s commitment to tourism, describing the golf facility as a venue of high economic value, particularly during diplomatic and high-level government events. “This is the kind of facility that dignitaries and visitors can use. We are hosting ECOWAS meetings; delegates who play golf will want to use this space. That’s why it matters,” he said.
Earlier, the President of the Court of Appeal and Chairperson of the Club’s Board of Trustees, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, made an emotional appeal for urgent government intervention to save the club from collapse.
“This club, inaugurated in 1991 by the Federal Government, is one of the best in Sub-Saharan Africa. But decades of heavy usage and limited maintenance have taken a toll,” she said.
She noted that membership had grown from 29 at inception to over 5,000 members, but the infrastructure had remained the same. “This clubhouse was meant to have a second floor that was never built. Now we’re in a critical state—we are in the emergency unit,” she warned.
Dongban-Mensem likened the club’s potential to that of other major global tourism hubs and called on Wike to replicate the transformation he oversaw at the International Conference Centre. “That was amazing. We are hoping that this will be your next major intervention,” she said.
She further described the golf course as an ecological haven that must be protected. “This club is home to birds, monkeys, and other wildlife. It is also a bird observatory. If we leave it closed for too long, we risk losing this natural treasure.”
She appealed for urgent funding to rehabilitate the course, describing golfers as passionate and loyal members who had already endured weeks of closure. “Golfers are like fish out of water without their game. I cannot in good conscience recommend the reopening of the course without the necessary repairs.”
The minister concluded by assuring the club of full government support. “We won’t let this facility die. It’s a gem not just for Abuja, but for Nigeria’s international image. We will act fast,” he said.
Wike was later led on a guided tour of the facility’s most distressed areas, where he promised to prioritize the upgrades as part of his broader urban renewal efforts under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
