Wike Says Completing Abuja’s Millennium Tower Now Costs Up to ₦400 Billion
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that completing the long-abandoned Millennium Tower project in Abuja would now cost between ₦300 billion and ₦400 billion.
Speaking during an inspection of ongoing road and infrastructure projects in the FCT on Thursday, Wike said the project has become too expensive for the FCT Administration to fund on its own.
He explained that he has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to take over the project as a national initiative, describing it as a major tourist attraction that should be funded by the Federal Government.
According to Wike, committing such a huge amount of money to a single project would leave the FCT unable to finance other important infrastructure projects across Abuja.
“The project is a national asset and should be treated as such. The amount needed to complete it is too much for the FCT alone,” he said.
Wike recalled that the Millennium Tower contract was originally awarded during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, but years of delays and changing economic conditions have significantly increased the cost.
He said discussions with the contractor showed that the project would now require between ₦300 billion and ₦400 billion to complete.
“If we decide to spend that amount on one project, it means we will have to abandon every other project in Abuja. That is why we have asked the President to reconsider it as a national project,” he added.
Despite the challenge surrounding the Millennium Tower, Wike expressed satisfaction with the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects across the FCT.
He praised Arab Contractors for the quality and speed of work on the dualisation of the Airport Road to Kuje, noting that the project was inactive when the current administration came into office in August 2023.
Wike said the contractor has assured him that the road will be completed and handed over to President Tinubu by December.
He also said the FCT Administration remains committed to meeting its financial obligations to contractors, adding that the trust between the government and construction firms has helped keep projects on schedule.
“I have confidence in these companies because they have never disappointed us. The quality of work we are seeing is impressive, and I believe the Tinubu administration is transforming Abuja into a world-class city,” he said.
The minister further assured residents that the FCT Administration would not abandon any ongoing projects, stressing that every project started under the current administration would be completed.
“Is there any project we have started and abandoned? Even projects awarded as far back as 2010 are now being completed, and the ones awarded by this administration will also be delivered,” Wike said.
