The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has said the FCT Administration (FCTA) cannot complete the abandoned Millennium Tower project because of the enormous funding required.
Wike made the statement on Thursday after inspecting ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja. He disclosed that the contractor handling the project estimated that between ₦300 billion and ₦400 billion would be needed to complete the iconic structure.
According to the minister, committing such a substantial amount from the FCTA’s statutory budget would jeopardise other critical infrastructure projects across the Federal Capital Territory.
He described the Millennium Tower, awarded during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as a national monument with significant tourism and cultural value, adding that it should be treated as a Federal Government project.
“The Millennium Tower is a national project and one that the government should reconsider because it has the potential to become a major tourist attraction.
“However, the capital required is far beyond what the FCTA can accommodate within its statutory budget. If we commit our limited resources to the tower, every other project in Abuja will have to be abandoned.
“The project was awarded during the Obasanjo administration, and, as we speak, the contractor is demanding between ₦300 billion and ₦400 billion to complete it.”
Wike said he had initiated discussions with President Bola Tinubu on the possibility of the Federal Government taking over the project to ensure its completion.
“We are discussing the matter with the President so that the project can be reconsidered as a national project. That is where we are at the moment,” he said.
The Millennium Tower, conceived as a landmark on the Abuja skyline, was designed to accommodate a cultural centre, museum and other tourism facilities but has remained uncompleted for years.
