ABUJA — The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, yesterday called for deeper collaboration between Nigeria and Japan to accelerate the implementation of the Abuja Master Plan and drive sustainable development in the nation’s capital.
Wike made the call while receiving the Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Suzuki Hideo, and officials of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Abuja.
Commending Japan for its longstanding support, the minister said its interventions in key sectors such as education, health, agriculture and infrastructure have continued to impact positively on Nigerians.
“I want to sincerely commend you for having confidence in the government of Nigeria and in particular the Federal Capital Territory. You have contributed to education, health, nutrition and other critical sectors that impact directly on our people,” Wike said.
He described Japan’s role in the development and ongoing review of the Abuja Master Plan as crucial to the city’s growth, noting that collaboration with relevant FCT agencies would ensure its successful implementation.
“You have been working closely with the FCDA on the Abuja Master Plan. That is very key for us. We will continue to cooperate with you to ensure that this is actualised,” he added.
The minister also acknowledged Japan’s support for Nigeria’s education sector, particularly in teacher training programmes.
“We have seen the support in education, including training of our teachers in Tokyo. This is very important to improving our education sector,” he said.
Wike further identified agriculture and urban development as priority areas for partnership, assuring the delegation of the FCT Administration’s readiness to provide an enabling environment for sustained cooperation.
“We will partner with you, particularly in agriculture and city development, to ensure that the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President becomes a reality,” he stated.
Earlier, Ambassador Suzuki Hideo reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to Nigeria’s development, stressing that Abuja’s growth remains central to national progress.
“The development of Abuja is crucial for driving Nigeria’s progress. Japan and JICA have been implementing various projects in infrastructure, healthcare and economic development,” he said.
He disclosed that Japan is advancing projects in waste management and industrial development, including a plastics value chain initiative in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), with a pilot facility set for handover.
Also speaking, the Chief Representative of JICA Nigeria Office, Ishigame Keiji, outlined the agency’s interventions across water, power, health, agriculture and education sectors in the FCT.
He said JICA is supporting the review of Abuja’s 1979 Master Plan to align with development needs up to 2050, with focus on infrastructure expansion, economic growth and climate resilience.
According to him, the agency is ready to move into priority infrastructure development once the updated plan is completed.
The meeting reaffirmed the strong diplomatic and development ties between Nigeria and Japan, with both sides expressing commitment to deepening cooperation for sustainable growth in the FCT.
