By Philip Yatai
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has expressed excitement over the completion of the $470 million Greater Abuja Water Supply Project eight years after its commencement.
Wike expressed excitement in Abuja on Monday at the inauguration of the project by President Bola Tinubu, marking his second year in office.
He explained that the project was awarded in 2017 under a partnership with the African Development Initiative to address loops one, two, five, and six.
He added that the Chinese government provided 85 per cent of the funds while the Federal Government and the FCT provided 15 per cent.
The Minister stated that the project was completed in just two years, following Tinubu’s directive to improve the city’s water supply.
“Although the project was awarded in 2017, your administration has completed it, and today we are inaugurating it to improve water supply in the city,” he said.
Wike recalled that the FCT Administration had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Chinese company in 2024 to provide water to FCT satellite towns.
“I want to say today that we have almost completed the procurement process to provide water to residents of Bwari, Kubwa, and Karu, among other communities.
“So, Mr President, you are not only providing water to residents in the cities; you are also providing water to residents in satellite towns,” he added.
He thanked Tinubu for the support and assured the President that the project would be completed and inaugurated in 2026, marking his third year in office.
He equally thanked the National Assembly for the tireless support, which he described as “very encouraging”.
Inaugurating the project, Tinubu described it as a “monumental effort” that would ensure safe, sustainable and sufficient water to homes, institutions and communities across the capital city.
According to him, water is not a luxury but a fundamental human right and a foundation for public health, urban development and economic growth.
He thanked Wike for exhibiting a very great virtue of leadership.
“This virtue is when a leader is very conscious of the needs of his people, and he goes about committed with a dedication to do it. That’s what you have been exhibiting in FCT,” Tinubu said.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, thanked Tinubu for his steadfast commitment to the welfare of Nigerians and for making the delivery of essential services a key priority of his “Renewed Hope Agenda”.
“Your excellency, your leadership has breathed new life into long-standing projects such as this one, transforming plans on paper into realities that directly impact the lives of our citizens.
“The completion of these water supply loops demonstrates your administration’s resolve to ensure that no community is left behind in our pursuit of national development,” she said.
Earlier, Mr Richard Dauda, Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, stated that the completed project would significantly improve access to a potable water supply in the city.
Dauda stated that the project entails the construction of water supply pipes in Loops 1, 2, 5, and 6, as per the provisions of the Abuja Master Plan.
He added that it involves laying 425 kilometres (km) of ductile iron pipes at various diameters, comprising 256 km of central lines and 169 km of distribution lines.
“The scope of the project includes site clearance and excavation, construction of loops one and two in Phase II, III and part of Phase IV in the northern development corridor and loops five and six in Phase II and III in the southern development corridor of the city,” he said
