Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, raised the alarm on Thursday, while unveiling the installation of integrated hybrid solar street lights across key districts of Abuja, over the entrenched culture of sabotage and vandalism that has frustrated successive administrations.
Performing the flag-off of the “Light Up Abuja” project covering lots 1 and 2, Wike admitted that the initiative was a “difficult decision,” citing years of wasted expenditure on maintenance contracts that yielded no results while Abuja remained in darkness.
He described the city’s blackout as not just an embarrassment but a dangerous security liability.
“This project gives us a lot of headaches, not in terms of planning but in terms of sustainability. Every time you hear that cables have been stolen and poles vandalised, yet the government continues to pay faceless contractors. This became a nightmare,” the Minister said.
Wike recalled that when he assumed office in August 2023, nearly 80 per cent of the city was in darkness, fuelling insecurity and leaving the nation’s capital unsafe. He noted that for months, Abuja residents, visitors, and even high-profile guests arriving through the airport had to endure poorly lit highways and expressways.
“Sometimes you are rushing to the airport to receive Mr President, and the whole city is in darkness. It is shameful. Abuja, as the capital of Africa’s most populous nation, cannot be left in the shadows,” he declared.
According to the Minister, his delegation’s 2024 visit to Beijing, alongside President Bola Tinubu, paved the way for an agreement with Chinese companies, including China Geo-Engineering Corporation (CGC) and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
The firms, he said, are expected not only to provide the infrastructure but also to maintain it for a period of four to five years.
Wike revealed that what convinced him was their commitment to embed surveillance features into the street lighting systems, which would help identify and deter vandals.
This, he stressed, was the only way to break free from the cycle of endless maintenance bills and sabotage.
“We thank God that this time around, there will be nothing like fake maintenance. These two companies will be responsible for maintaining the facilities. No more contractors who are only politicians collecting money for nothing,” Wike stated.
Despite the progress, the Minister warned that vested interests benefiting from past rackets would attempt to resist the reforms. He accused saboteurs, political contractors, and even some FCTA staff of exploiting ethnicity, religion, and politics to blackmail the administration.
“They will accuse us of sidelining tribes, of discrimination, or even bring religion into it. They will flood social media, radio, and television with propaganda. I don’t care. We have made a decision and we will not back down,” he vowed.
Wike further described the market for vandalised public property as a criminal economy that must be dismantled, insisting that the new system would expose culprits and save Abuja residents from darkness.
Providing an overview, the Executive Secretary of the FCDA, Engr. Richard Dauda explained that the project would replace outdated infrastructure, some of which was over 30 years old, that had become obsolete and energy-draining.
He listed Lot 1 to cover Maitama, Central Area, Wuse, Asokoro, and the Airport Expressway, while Lot 2 would extend to Katampe, Jabi, Garki, Gudu, Mabushi, and Katampe Extension.
The project is expected to be delivered within six months.
In her vote of thanks, the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud, said the project was not only about illumination but also about strengthening security, promoting sustainability, and advancing the Administration’s Smart City Agenda.
“More importantly, this project will make Abuja a model for sustainable urban living. It is about service, safety, and security for residents,” she said, praising Wike’s “unwavering leadership” in driving infrastructural renewal.
For Abuja residents, the coming months will test whether Wike’s new partnership with Chinese firms can finally deliver a brighter and safer capital city or whether the old enemies of progress will find new ways to plunge the city back into darkness.
