The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that the three bus and taxi terminals constructed by the FCT Administration (FCTA) will commence operations once the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for their management is approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Wike gave the assurance after inspecting ongoing road projects in Abuja on Thursday.
Recall that the FCT Administration began the construction of three bus terminals in 2024, one each in Kugbo, Mabushi, and the Central Business District (CBD), at a total cost of N51 billion.
The Kugbo and Mabushi terminals were completed and inaugurated in June 2025 to celebrate President Tinubu’s second year in office, while the CBD terminal is at the final stage of completion. However, the completed terminals have remained non-operational since their inauguration.
The Minister explained that the terminals have not yet begun operations because qualified operators must be approved by the FEC, noting that the contract exceeds ministerial approval.
He said the procurement process had successfully passed through the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).
“After building the terminals, we said we are not going to allow the Transport Secretariat to run them. They will be handled by private individuals who have the competence,” Wike said.
“It’s not as easy as we thought. It requires FEC’s approval, but I am confident that in the next FEC meeting, the contracts will be presented for approval. So, we believe in the next FEC meeting it will be approved and once that is done, then we will hit the road,” he added.
Wike had disclosed during the inauguration of the completed terminals that additional terminals would be constructed in Gwagwalada, Bwari, and Kuje.
He explained that the bus and taxi terminals mark a significant milestone in FCTA’s efforts to modernise transportation infrastructure in the territory.
Wike added that the FCTA is also addressing the issue of indiscriminate parking on the roads.
“The terminals will provide a safe and organised space for vehicles to park, thereby reducing congestion on the roads,” he said.
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The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Planet Project Ltd, Mr Biodun Otunola, explained that the Kugbo and Mabushi terminals were designed to process more than 10,000 passengers each day.
Otunola added that the terminals were also designed to accommodate 120 buses and taxis daily for both intercity and intra-city travel.
He noted that the CBD terminal under construction is different, being primarily designed for intra-city operations.
On job opportunities, Otunola said that each of the three terminals would employ at least 100 people.
“People will work in the security department, ticketing, facility management, control room, electrical, mechanical, maintenance, and bus control. It’s very huge. It’s like running a mini airport,” he said.
He added that based on needs assessment, the FCT would ultimately require at least 12 bus and taxi terminals to cover significant parts of the territory.
“We will need one in Gwagwalada, one in Kuje, one in Gwarinpa, and Lugbe, including the city centre in places like Area 1, Area 3 in Garki, Wuse, and other strategic locations,” he said.