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Minister renames ICC Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre
From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to stay committed to his impactful work and disregard detractors he described as “busybodies.”
The President made these remarks on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, during the official reopening of the refurbished International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, now renamed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
Highlighting Wike’s dedication, President Tinubu praised the minister for embodying the true spirit and character of Nigerians—people of quality, determination, and strong resolve—through the high standards of his work in the FCT.
During a guided tour of the renovated facility, which serves as a venue for major events in the capital, the President lauded the transformation efforts and hailed Wike as a visionary leader.
“You represent us as a people of character, determination, and great spirit. I am pleased to see you reflect these qualities. Ignore the busybodies and bystanders; no matter what they say, keep up your excellent work,” President Tinubu said.
He added, “You are a transformational leader with the foresight and determination to succeed. Thank you very much.”
“The International Conference Centre is part of our country’s larger vision to become a hub of regional diplomacy, continental trade discussion, global partnership and many more thoughtful, well-outlined goals that reflect our Nigerian First,” he said.
President Tinubu said: “I’m greatly honoured and happy to be here to reopen this International Conference Centre as part of our determined effort to change the way we do things, to reflect us as people of quality, people of character, people of determination, people of great spirit. That’s what we are. And I’m glad, Nyesom Wike, you are reflecting that.”
Reflecting on the centre’s previous state, President Tinubu recalled his experience attending an ECOWAS Parliament conference there: “When I attended the conference of ECOWAS Parliament here, it was a very dirty, disorganised, uninhabitable environment. Aside from the side talk with the Senate President, I turned to Wike, I said, ‘But this conference centre is not reflecting who we are. Have we sunk this low?’ He said no, but bear with us. We’ll do whatever we can do to transform the place. You won’t come back to find it in a dilapidated, uninhabitable situation as it is, and today I am very happy.”
He also praised the contractor Julius Berger for their commitment to quality: “Today, we are not talking about renegotiation, we are talking about rehabilitation. We are talking about quality, commitment to details and good work. It reflects what Julius Berger has been known for in this country for years.”
President Tinubu framed the renovation as part of the “Renewed Hope Agenda,” a national initiative to upgrade infrastructure across key sectors: “Through the Renewed Hope Agenda, we are determined to renew infrastructure across the key sectors of this country: transportation, healthcare, education, energy, and urban development, because you understand that modern infrastructure is the backbone of a thriving economy in an inclusive and progressive society.”
He emphasised the centre’s strategic importance: “The International Conference Centre is part of our country’s larger vision to become a hub for regional diplomacy, continental trade discussions, global partnership and many more thoughtful, well-outlined goals that reflect our Nigerian First.”
In closing, the President gave a light-hearted but firm reminder about the centre’s usage policies: “Today, I say once again to all of you, Baraka de Sallah… and you must obey what the landlord says. You want to use this place, you have to pay for it.”
Earlier, Wike renamed the Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC) as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre. He explained what led to the decision to rename the centre and the importance of its upkeep: “Because of your leadership, you gave a marching order, this is not the quality to show that Nigeria is the Giant of Africa. Today, this Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre can match any other international conference centre anywhere.”
Wike stressed the need for financial accountability to ensure the centre’s sustainability: “I want to let everybody know—whether you are a Ministry or an agency, you want to use this? You have to pay something. That is the only way it can be sustained. There is nothing like my brother or my sister is going to have a wedding. If you want to use such a beautiful place like this, then you must drop something.”
Wike also recounted the challenges faced during the rehabilitation of the centre, attributing past failures to political interference: “This place was being handled before by a politician. They gave it to a politician, and he killed the place, and when we tried to do work, the politician had to go to court to stop us from carrying out this rehabilitation that you are seeing today.”
He praised President Tinubu’s intervention and support in overcoming these obstacles: “So, if you are not the kind of person that you are, we would not have succeeded in doing this work. Pressure came from left, right, and centre, and you said go ahead and rehabilitate that place, and we thank God for his leadership. Our problem is leadership. When you have the right leadership, things will get done, and that is what you have shown today.”