By Daniel Tyokua
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced a partnership with Japan to update the 1979 Abuja Master Plan, aligning the city’s growth with modern realities up to 2050.
This follows a visit by a Japanese delegation led by Ambassador Suzuki Hideo and JICA’s Chief Representative, Ishigame Keiji, on Tuesday.
Wike appreciated Japan’s contributions to Nigeria, noting Japanese experts designed Abuja’s original blueprint. “The design of Abuja was done by Japan, and now they need to look at it again for further development,” he said.
He explained that, “I am fully aware of the projects through JICA. It is very key for us because I do know the design of Abuja was done by Japan, and now they need to look at it again in order to carry out other structural development.”
The Minister commended the Japanese government for its consistency in supporting the education, health, and nutrition sectors, specifically highlighting the training of Nigerian teachers in Tokyo.
“We will continue to cooperate with you to see that this is actualized. It should provide an environment where you continue to partner with us and see that the leadership agenda of Mr. President comes to reality,” Wike added, while accepting an invitation to lead a delegation to Japan for a high-level study tour”
On his part, Suzuki Hideo lauded Wike’s leadership and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to “co-creating a shared future” with Nigeria. He emphasized that the development of Abuja as a political and administrative hub is vital for the nation’s overall progress.
“The government of Japan and JICA have been engaged in various development projects, including not only basic infrastructure such as electricity and healthcare but also the construction of a hub facility that serves as a center for startup support,” the Ambassador stated.
Ambassador Hideo also invited the Minister to a handover ceremony scheduled for March 26th for a pilot plastic collection facility, a joint initiative with UNIDO aimed at promoting the plastics value chain in the capital.
Providing a technical breakdown of the intervention, JICA Chief Representative, Mr. Ishigame Keiji, revealed that the agency is ready to move quickly into priority infrastructure development with “visible and rapid results.”
“Our goal is to upgrade the original 1979 Master Plan to meet the needs of Abuja up to the year 2050,” Ishigame explained. “We are focusing on four key value additions: driving economic development and job creation, integrating the private sector, ensuring sustainability through strategic environmental assessment, and addressing contemporary themes like climate resilience and social inclusion.” He said.
