Abuja: Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has commended Mr. Richard Dauda, the acting Executive Secretary (ES) of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), for providing leadership that drives infrastructural development across the FCT. Wike gave the commendation in Abuja during a meeting with members of staff of the FCT Administration as part of activities to celebrate the territory’s golden jubilee. He explained that the commendation followed Dauda’s leadership, which he described as key to achieving desired results.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Dauda stated that a total of 26 projects were completed and inaugurated since Wike assumed office in August 2023, describing it as unprecedented. He explained that nine projects were inaugurated in 2024 to celebrate Tinubu’s first year in office and 27 in 2025 to mark Tinubu’s second anniversary. Dauda recalled that in 1975, the then Federal Military Government set up a committee on the suitability and continuation of Lagos as the Capital City or the relocation of the Capital City to a new location. On the committee’s recommendation, a Decree No. 6 of 1976 established the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with an area of about 8000 square kilometers and the FCDA.
Dauda added that following the approval of the Federal Capital City’s and the Federal Capital Territory’s Master Plan in 1979 and 1983 respectively, active infrastructural development of FCC and FCT commenced in the early 1980s. Although the FCT witnessed achievement in the last 50 years, the developments were at a slow pace, with FCC initially envisioned to be fully developed within 25 to 30 years. The acting ES disclosed that in the 50 years of development, Abuja Phases I had attained about 85 percent overall planned infrastructural development, including roads network, water supply, sewerage, electrical power supply, and telecommunication facilities.
Dauda noted that Phases II and III of the FCC have attained about 30 percent and 10 percent completion respectively, with the Phase IV yet to be provided with infrastructure. He stated that major infrastructural deficits have emerged due to limited availability of funds, exacerbated by the need to extend the city’s infrastructural services to satellite environments. The influx of people into the FCT has put pressure on the available infrastructure, leading to challenges of resettlement and compensation of the original inhabitants. This pressure has led to the creation of new districts within the urban fringes of the FCC, effectively altering earlier design considerations.
Dauda further mentioned that the creation of Phase V arose from additional urban population density, with the city now having an area of about 801 square kilometers and a projected population of 5.5 million.