President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring that development reaches every part of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), promising that residents of both Abuja’s city centre and surrounding communities will benefit from the dividends of democracy.
Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima during the commissioning of the Kuje-Airport Expressway in Abuja on Thursday, the President said his government remains focused on achieving balanced infrastructural and socio-economic growth across the territory.
He described the airport corridor as more than just a roadway, calling it the nation’s gateway and a reflection of Nigeria’s image to visitors and investors.
Tinubu stated that his administration would continue delivering “roads, brighter streets, safer corridors, cleaner surroundings, improved drainage, and modern facilities that befit the capital of Africa’s largest democracy.”
He also pledged to expand infrastructure and municipal services to area councils and suburban communities, ensuring that development is not concentrated within the city centre alone.
“We shall not rest until the airport and its neighbouring communities become models of order, hospitality, and opportunity.
“We shall not rest until the dividends of democracy are equitably distributed across the territory, from the ceremonial heart of Abuja to the settlements that sustain its daily life.”
The President stressed that communities surrounding the airport should not be neglected, noting that they are home to thousands of residents whose quality of life should reflect the status of the nation’s capital.
“When the road to the airport works, the economy breathes better. When the communities around it are connected, the people feel seen. When the first mile into a nation is dignified, the visitor’s first impression is shaped by order, not by anxiety,” he added.
Tinubu praised FCT Minister Nyesom Wike for driving the completion of the project, describing him as a dependable partner in fulfilling the administration’s goal of making the FCT more habitable and inclusive.
“He has taken this assignment with the urgency it deserves, and he has shown that leadership is best measured by completed work, not by decorated files. I commend him, the FCT Administration, the engineers, consultants, contractors, and all who brought this project to completion,” he added.
The President further urged residents to safeguard the newly completed road, describing public infrastructure as a shared responsibility between government and citizens.
Earlier, Wike said the completion of the Kuje Expressway had revived hope among residents and created opportunities for increased economic and social activities. He recalled that poor infrastructure and insecurity were among the major challenges facing Kuje and other area councils when the current administration assumed office.
According to the minister, community consultations identified the abandoned expressway as a priority project, with traditional rulers and local leaders calling for its completion to improve access and stimulate development.
He noted that the road would reduce travel time between Kuje and Abuja city centre while boosting economic activities and property values in the area.
Also speaking, FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmud, described ongoing infrastructure projects across the territory as evidence of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and commended the President’s support for development initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Administration, Richard Yunana Dauda, explained that the road project, awarded in 2022, was designed to link major routes within the FCT and neighbouring Nasarawa State, while also incorporating drainage systems and bridges to improve connectivity and provide alternative access to Gwagwalada and other districts.