Major Twist: Wike Hands Troubled Millennium Tower Project to Tinubu

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said the FCT Administration will not proceed with the completion of the long-abandoned Abuja Millennium Tower project, citing its enormous financial implications.

Speaking on Thursday during an inspection of ongoing road and infrastructure projects across the Federal Capital Territory, Wike disclosed that the estimated cost of completing the project has risen to between ₦300 billion and ₦400 billion, making it unaffordable for the FCT Administration.

According to the minister, committing such a huge amount to a single project would deprive Abuja of funds needed for other critical infrastructure developments.

Wike revealed that he has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to take over the project and classify it as a national tourism initiative to enable the Federal Government fund its completion.

He noted that the Millennium Tower was originally conceived as a landmark national project and should be treated as such rather than being financed solely by the FCT Administration.

The minister recalled that the contract for the project was first awarded during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo but has remained unfinished for years due to prolonged delays and rising construction costs.

He explained that discussions with the contractor showed the amount now required to complete the project had increased significantly, making it impractical for the FCT to shoulder the responsibility alone.

Wike warned that allocating between ₦300 billion and ₦400 billion to the Millennium Tower would inevitably force the administration to suspend several ongoing road and infrastructure projects across the nation’s capital.

Despite the challenges surrounding the project, the minister expressed satisfaction with the pace of ongoing infrastructure development in Abuja, commending contractors handling various road projects for the progress recorded so far.