Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on European Union (EU) countries to deepen investment partnerships and expand cultural exchanges with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), as part of efforts to drive development in Abuja and Nigeria.
Wike made the appeal on Tuesday while addressing EU Heads of Mission at the European Union House, during a high-level engagement chaired by Gautier Mignot, Head of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS.
“I thank the European Union Delegation to Nigeria for the invitation and continued partnership with the Nigerian Government in advancing shared values of development, stability, and prosperity,” Wike said.
Highlighting investment opportunities in the FCT, the minister described Abuja as a business-friendly capital with prospects in real estate, housing, agriculture, tourism, solid minerals, and waste management.
“We will continue to look forward to a sustained collaboration and engagement with EU countries to foster development of the FCT,” he stated.
Wike said the administration’s priorities, aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, include infrastructure expansion, improved security, healthcare, education, and reforms in land administration and revenue generation.
“We have embarked on a deliberate and sustained investment in infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth and social inclusion by expanding road networks, modernizing public transport and improving water supply,” he said.
On security, the minister disclosed that the FCTA had strengthened infrastructure through the construction of 12 new fully equipped divisional police headquarters and officers’ quarters across the six area councils.
Addressing governance and electoral reforms, Wike described amendments to Nigeria’s electoral framework as critical steps toward enhancing transparency.
“In the newly amended Electoral Act, there is provision for electronic transmission of results. But because of our peculiarities, it was included that where electronic transmission fails, manual transmission can be used,” he explained.
He also stressed the role of opposition in a democracy, noting that it should serve as a constructive alternative rather than a source of instability.
“In a country like Nigeria, where democracy is evolving, opposition should not be seen as an avenue to cause or promote crises, but to provide alternative and guide government,” Wike said.
Speaking on Nigeria’s political environment, the minister observed a shift toward governance-driven leadership, with improved collaboration between the executive and legislative arms.
“The relationship between these two key institutions has become that of ‘partners-in-progress’ in the making and implementation of policies and programmes for the welfare of Nigerians,” he added.
Wike further outlined key economic reforms under the current administration, including subsidy removal, foreign exchange unification, and tax restructuring, alongside social interventions such as conditional cash transfers and student loan schemes.
While acknowledging ongoing security challenges—ranging from insurgency and banditry to farmer-herder conflicts—he assured that government efforts were intensifying.
“There are ongoing and sustained efforts to address insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and communal conflicts… through strengthening security architecture, enhancing inter-agency coordination and investing in intelligence gathering and technology,” he said.
Earlier, Ambassador Mignot described the EU as Nigeria’s leading trade and investment partner, underscoring the importance of sustained cooperation between both sides.
The meeting brought together envoys from several EU countries, reinforcing diplomatic and economic engagement between Nigeria and the European bloc.
