Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday issued a stern warning to land grabbers, speculators and fraudulent developers, declaring that Abuja would no longer serve as a safe haven for those undermining the city’s master plan as the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) intensifies efforts to transform the capital into Africa’s leading investment destination.

The minister said that while the FCTA was opening its doors to credible local and foreign investors, it would deal decisively with illegal land allocations, multiple ownership claims and unauthorised developments that threaten investor confidence.

Speaking at the opening of the Abuja Business and Investment Expo (ABIE) 3.0 in Abuja, Wike, represented by the Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmoud, said ongoing reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda were designed to make Abuja Nigeria’s most investor-friendly city.

He stressed that genuine investors would enjoy the full backing of the Administration, but warned that those seeking to profit through fraudulent land dealings would face the full weight of the law.

“Ease of doing business does not mean the absence of regulation. We will support and protect genuine investors, but we will not protect land speculators, fraudulent developers or businesses that disregard the law,” Wike declared.

The minister said reforms in land administration, digital governance, revenue collection and institutional accountability were aimed at eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks, improving transparency and providing investors with a predictable and secure business environment.

He added that the Administration would not relent until Abuja becomes Nigeria’s premier investment destination and one of Africa’s most competitive business hubs.

According to Wike, the aggressive infrastructure drive across the FCT has already laid the foundation for private sector-led economic expansion.

He listed road construction, urban renewal, water supply expansion, transport infrastructure, healthcare and education projects among the key investments that have repositioned the nation’s capital for business.

The minister noted that the Administration had moved beyond policy pronouncements by completing abandoned projects, opening new development corridors and extending critical infrastructure to satellite towns and Area Councils.

He also cited the FCT’s fourth-place ranking in the 2025 Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Subnational Ease of Doing Business assessment, where it recorded a 61 per cent performance score, as evidence that the reforms were yielding results.

Wike identified real estate, transportation, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, education, renewable energy, technology, creative industries, waste management and urban infrastructure as sectors offering significant opportunities for investors.

He urged investors to take advantage of emerging districts and rapidly developing satellite towns, saying Abuja’s next phase of economic growth would extend well beyond the city centre.

“The FCTA will continue to provide world-class infrastructure, policy stability and an enabling environment, while expecting the private sector to deliver quality projects, create employment and contribute meaningfully to economic development,” he said.

Earlier, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL), Maureen Tamuno, described the Expo as a strategic platform for attracting investment and forging partnerships that would unlock the enormous economic potential of the Federal Capital Territory.

She said the theme of this year’s event, “Building Nigeria’s Capital: Investment as a Catalyst for Economic Growth”, aligns with the FCTA’s vision of positioning Abuja as a globally competitive investment destination through improved infrastructure, innovation and private sector collaboration.

Tamuno commended Wike’s leadership, saying ongoing infrastructure and urban renewal projects had significantly enhanced Abuja’s attractiveness to investors.

She disclosed that participants at the three-day Expo would engage in investment forums, exhibitions, networking sessions and policy dialogues covering strategic sectors, including real estate, infrastructure, technology, renewable energy, solid minerals, sports and the creative economy, with the expectation of generating partnerships that would accelerate economic growth in the FCT and across Nigeria. (The Sun, excluding headline)

•Minister of State for the FCT, Mariya Mahmoud, with her counterpart in Budget and Economic Planning, Doris Uzoka-Aniche at the opening of the Abuja Business and Investment Expo (ABIE) 3.0 in Abuja, on Wednesday, August 5, 2026