President Bola Tinubu has called on residents and business owners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to comply with tax obligations, land charges and ground rents, saying such contributions are critical to sustaining infrastructure expansion across Abuja.
Tinubu made the appeal on Wednesday during the commissioning of the fully completed Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way), which stretches from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III in Dape District.
Represented by Kashim Shettima, vice president, Tinubu described the project as a “vital economic corridor” that will ease traffic congestion, enhance connectivity and create investment opportunities within the nation’s capital.
“To the residents and business owners enjoying this transformation, I urge you to meet your obligations. Pay your taxes. Clear your land fees and ground rents. Your compliance gives the FCT Administration the strength to build more roads like this one,” he said.
The president recalled that the Gwarinpa I District section of the road was commissioned in June 2025, fulfilling a promise to complete the corridor in full.
“On that day, we pledged not to leave this vital artery half-done. The Renewed Hope Agenda is not about abandoned projects; it is about delivery from start to finish. Today, we close the circle,” he said.
Tinubu noted that the project was funded and executed under his administration and awarded to Julius Berger Plc, with a strict 15-month completion deadline after being flagged off in October 2024.
He added that prolonged delays that characterised previous administrations were now a thing of the past.
Nyesom Wike, Minister of the FCT, who oversaw the project, described the commissioning as part of a 31-day programme marking the third anniversary of the Tinubu administration, highlighting an increasing scale of infrastructure delivery in the territory since 2024.
“For the first time, development has reached satellite towns in the FCT. Today, they can feel the impact and presence of government,” Wike said, noting that the Gwarinpa section alone was completed in seven months.
The minister also defended the handling of compensation for property owners affected by the road construction, emphasising that all affected parties were duly compensated.
Mariya Mahmoud, Minister of State for the FCT, described the commissioning as a “milestone under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” reflecting the administration’s commitment to improving connectivity, stimulating economic growth and enhancing residents’ quality of life. She commended Wike for his leadership and thanked community stakeholders for their cooperation throughout the project.
Tinubu further called on traditional rulers, community leaders and residents to safeguard public infrastructure and maintain drainage systems and streetlights, stressing that citizen participation was essential to the sustainability of government investments.
The newly completed N5 corridor, the president said, would provide direct access to the Idu Industrial District, lower logistics costs, attract investments and create jobs, reinforcing the government’s broader economic and urban development objectives.
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