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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike has unveiled fresh plans to transform Abuja’s road infrastructure, assuring that major ongoing projects will be completed by December 2026 and early January 2027.
Wike gave the assurance on Tuesday after inspecting the ongoing construction of the Inner Southern Expressway (Goodluck Jonathan Way), as well as the service carriageways of the Southern Parkway in Gaduwa District.
The minister said the completion of the projects would significantly change the landscape of Abuja, while improving traffic flow and creating better connections between different parts of the Federal Capital Territory.
“I am quite confident by December ending, God willing, these two projects will have been delivered to us, and you can imagine what the landscape will be,” Wike said.
He said the completed interchanges, carriageways and adjoining road infrastructure would not only improve transportation but also give the nation’s capital a new aesthetic and functional outlook.
Wike also highlighted the economic benefits of the projects, noting that residents, particularly youths in host communities, had been engaged in the construction activities.
According to him, the involvement of local youths had also contributed to maintaining peace around the project sites, with communities avoiding conflicts that could disrupt construction.
The minister praised the main contractor, China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC), for maintaining round-the-clock construction activities on the Southern Parkway and the Inner Southern Expressway.
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The ISEX project, originally awarded in 2014, had suffered years of delays before the renewed push by the current FCT Administration.
Wike said the release of funds by the Federal Government had been instrumental to the accelerated pace of work, particularly on the first phase of ISEX.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for approving the full release of funds for the project, which includes two major interchanges and more than five kilometres of road infrastructure.
The minister also commended CGC for continuing with construction despite delays in its initial mobilisation, describing the contractor’s commitment as evidence of confidence in the administration.
“Everything is not about profit; sometimes it is about your contribution to the development of the area. Money will come at the end of the day,” Wike said.
He urged other contractors handling projects in the FCT to emulate CGC by prioritising the timely delivery of infrastructure rather than focusing solely on immediate financial returns.
Wike assured contractors that the FCT Administration would meet its financial obligations, while warning them against allowing pressure from competitors to derail ongoing projects.
With the December deadline approaching, the minister said the completion of the critical road corridors would help decongest major traffic arteries, improve connectivity and accelerate the emergence of a more modern Abuja.
