The Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Prof. Okechukwu Onuchuku, has described the FCT Minister, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike’s leadership style as structurally transformative and economically deliberate. Onuchuku, in an interview with newsmen, noted that Wike’s actions had already begun reshaping the capital city into a more productive, inclusive, and investor-friendly urban economy.
The renowned economist threw his weight behind the FCT Minister, citing his economic reforms and infrastructure revival across Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, as well as his support for the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. His words, “as an economist, I can say with confidence that Chief Wike is not only fixing roads and bridges, he’s laying down the economic foundation for the long-term prosperity of Abuja.
“The Minister has done more in under a year than many did in multiple terms and years in office. I think the Minister has performed extremely well. He has executed more projects in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President, which the President has also acknowledged by commissioning the same during his second year in office celebration.”
Highlighting some of his achievements, the VC pointed to the completion of long-abandoned infrastructure projects, including the resumption of the Abuja Light Rail and ongoing road network expansions, as evidence of renewed logistical efficiency and economic mobility. “These projects reduce transportation bottlenecks, increase productivity, and open up economic access for both formal and informal sectors.”
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He further hailed Wike’s commitment to industrialization, especially with the revitalization of the Idu Industrial Zone and plans for an Abuja Industrial Park projected to create up to 40,000 jobs. “This is the kind of forward-thinking economic diversification Nigeria needs, a shift away from dependency on the public sector to a more enterprise-driven city economy.
Wike’s attention to rural infrastructure, citing over 40 kilometers of roads being constructed across the FCT’s Area Councils to connect remote communities to urban centers and economic opportunities. “The Minister’s financial reforms, including withdrawal of the FCTA from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and recovery of over N2 billion in ground rents, are strategic and necessary for budget efficiency. “He’s giving the FCTA fiscal muscle to act fast and plan smart.”
Further, Onuchuku lauded Wike’s performance in investments in public education and security, including the ongoing renovation of 40 public schools and the deployment of modern surveillance and security systems across the city. “Economic growth is not sustainable without human capital development and public safety. Wike understands that balance.”
