Wike Defends Tinubu’s Reforms, Says Infrastructure Projects Reflect Strong Leadership

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as bold leadership and commitment to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit through strategic investments and reforms.

Speaking on Saturday at the 36th convocation ceremony of University of Port Harcourt, where he delivered a lecture titled “Leadership and Infrastructure Development in Nigeria: Lessons for Future Leaders,” Wike said infrastructure development remains one of the most important indicators of effective governance.

According to the FCT minister, the scale and speed of projects currently being executed across the country demonstrate the administration’s determination to transform Nigeria and unlock its economic potential.

He noted that President Tinubu has shown courage in making difficult decisions, mobilising national resources, and prioritising infrastructure as a tool for national development.

Wike identified critical sectors such as transportation, power, housing and digital infrastructure as essential drivers of economic growth and social progress.

While acknowledging that some projects were inherited from previous administrations, he said the current government has accelerated their implementation and incorporated them into a broader national development agenda.

Among the major projects highlighted by the minister are the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, the East-West Road, and access roads leading to the Second Niger Bridge.

He also pointed to the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway corridor and ongoing plans to expand the country’s standard-gauge rail network.

On the power sector, Wike said the Presidential Power Initiative being implemented in partnership with Siemens, alongside rural electrification and mass metering programmes, is aimed at improving electricity supply nationwide.

The minister further noted that government investments in housing, aviation, broadband infrastructure, security and education—including the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND)—are helping to expand opportunities for Nigerians.

He also commended the administration’s energy transition initiatives, including the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) programme and the National Hydrogen Policy, describing them as measures that position Nigeria for emerging global energy trends.

Wike described the removal of fuel subsidy as one of the most courageous decisions taken by the Tinubu administration, arguing that it has increased fiscal resources available to federal, state and local governments for infrastructure and development projects.

He maintained that meaningful and lasting reforms often require leaders to prioritise long-term stability and national growth over short-term comfort.