Tinubu: Infrastructure Key To Building Nigeria’s Knowledge Economy As FCT Expands Research District

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ABUJA – President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday said his administration is investing in critical road infrastructure as part of efforts to establish the physical framework required for a knowledge-driven economy, arguing that education, innovation and justice cannot flourish without efficient connectivity.

The President stated this in Abuja during the flag-off of the construction of Collector Road CO1 in the Institutional and Research District, stretching from Nile University to Ring Road III.

Represented by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Tinubu said the project also includes the dualisation of the road linking the Baze University roundabout to Nile University.

According to him, the Federal Government’s infrastructure drive is aimed at supporting institutions that generate knowledge and foster innovation.

“Three years into our administration, the results are speaking for themselves. From the Southern Parkway to the Institutional and Research District, we are laying the physical foundation for a knowledge-driven economy,” he said.

“Today, we are providing the roads needed to support justice, education and innovation. To the university community, this road is more than a route; it is a connection between learning, law and the future of our capital.”

Tinubu noted that the Institutional and Research District was conceived as the intellectual hub of Abuja, housing universities, law chambers, research institutes and innovation centres.

He stressed, however, that the growth of ideas and institutions depends on adequate infrastructure.

“Ideas cannot move if roads do not move and connect people and places together,” he added.

The President said the project aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises continuity and completion of strategic infrastructure projects.

“Under the Renewed Hope Agenda, we made a choice to finish what was started and to start what we must finish.

“The first phase of this corridor connecting the Body of Benchers, Nile University and Baze University is completed and ready for commissioning. Today, we begin the next phase to Ring Road III to complete the loop.

“That is how we build a city — with a plan, not with abandoned projects. Infrastructure must be continuous and beneficial to the people it serves,” he said.

Tinubu also commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for accelerating project delivery across the capital city.

“Wike, your energy is unmatched. You inherited a capital with numerous stalled projects and transformed the FCT Administration into a delivery agency.

“‘Mr Projects’ is not merely a slogan; it is a record. You have revived abandoned roads, constructed new interchanges and extended development to satellite communities. You have domesticated the Renewed Hope Agenda, street by street and district by district.

“The transformation of Abuja under your watch is bold, visible and worthy of commendation,” he said.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Barr. Nyesom Wike explained that the project was initiated following requests from the Body of Benchers for improved access roads to facilitate movement within the district.

He assured residents that the Tinubu administration remained committed to fulfilling its promises to the people of the FCT, adding that the road project is expected to be completed by January 2027.

The minister also pledged that ongoing political activities ahead of the 2027 elections would not distract his administration from delivering critical infrastructure projects.

“We will continue to provide projects that directly impact the lives of residents in line with the directive of President Tinubu. Political activities will not affect our commitment to service delivery,” Wike said.

Earlier, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Richard Dauda, said the Institutional and Research District, located in Phase III of the Federal Capital City, was designated in the Abuja Master Plan for educational, research and government institutions.

Dauda explained that the district was being developed in phases, with the current project representing a major milestone in opening up the area for further development.

He said the project involves the construction of about six kilometres of Collector Road CO1 from Nile University to Ring Road III, as well as the dualisation of the section linking Baze University Junction and Nile University.

According to him, the road network is expected to improve accessibility, stimulate institutional growth and support the long-term development objectives of the Federal Capital Territory.