President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commissioned a 7-kilometre access road and four-span bridge bypassing the second runway of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, connecting Bill Clinton Drive to Tugan Madaki settlement in the FCT. Represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Thursday, the President described the project as a correction of historical injustice against original inhabitants who surrendered land for national infrastructure but were left without motorable roads. Completed in 16 months by the FCT Administration under Minister Nyesom Wike, the road is part of the Aerotropolis District plan and is expected to unlock economic pathways for isolated communities while linking AMAC to Gwagwalada by December 2026, reports Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka in Abuja.
The commissioning was announced in a press release signed by Rabi Musa Umar, Deputy Director of Press, Office of the Minister, on Thursday, 2026, marking day seven of a 31-day rollout of projects celebrating the Tinubu administration’s third anniversary.
President Tinubu, speaking through Senate President Akpabio, said the newly opened route will open critical economic pathways for communities that have spent years physically isolated from the economic heart of the Federal Capital Territory.
He stressed that the project, situated in the FCT’s Aerotropolis District, addresses a long-standing grievance of original inhabitants who gave up ancestral lands for the strategically vital second runway of the airport.
“These patriotic communities gave up land for airplanes to fly, yet they had no motorable roads for their own feet, motorcycles and vehicles,” Tinubu stated, emphasizing that no citizen should be a victim of national development.
The President revealed that when FCT Minister Barrister Nyesom Wike brought the community’s plight to his attention, his directive was unequivocal: “Whatever the communities ask for to make their lives whole, give it to them. My administration will not just take from communities, we build, we replace, and we elevate.”
Tinubu commended Wike and his team for rapid execution, noting that following presidential approval in February 2025, the FCT Administration mobilized immediately and completed the entire road and bridge in just 16 months.
“Wike, you are ‘Mr. Project’, and you have not disappointed us. Today, barely 16 months later, this beautiful stretch of road is completed and ready for use. No excuses. No stories. Just delivery. That is the standard Nigerians deserve,” the President said.
He lauded the engineering capacity of the team and urged traditional rulers and residents to protect the infrastructure by keeping drainage channels free of refuse and preventing illegal construction along the right-of-way.
Addressing Nigeria’s economic reforms, Tinubu acknowledged the painful rise in cost of living but reassured citizens that the government’s difficult decisions are aimed at building a stronger, more resilient Nigeria.
Senate President Akpabio, delivering the executive address, praised Wike’s unparalleled track record and suggested an additional title: “Mr. Deliverer,” alongside the popular “Mr. Project” moniker.
Akpabio noted it was the first time an FCT Minister set aside 31 consecutive days for commissioning completed projects, describing Wike as a “miracle worker” and commending Tinubu for appointing him to lead FCT transformation.
In his remarks, Minister Wike praised Tugan Madaki residents for peaceful cooperation, noting they requested basic necessities like roads and employment instead of exorbitant financial compensation.
“The community did not say, ‘If you don’t give us 1 billion Naira, you will not come there.’ They made basic demands. They requested jobs—and by the grace of God, we employed them. They requested a road, and today, hope has returned to them,” Wike said.
The Minister disclosed he had directed contractor CCECC to extend the road from Tungan Madaki down to Zuba by December 2026, a move that will further open the area and directly link AMAC to Gwagwalada Area Council.
Wike issued a stern warning to land speculators to stay off the corridor and promised that the FCTA will issue Certificates of Occupancy to local residents to secure their land ownership rights.
FCTA Head of Service, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan, in her vote of thanks, commended Tinubu’s commitment to grassroots connectivity under the Renewed Hope Agenda and applauded Wike’s tireless oversight and the National Assembly’s legislative support.
Executive Secretary of FCDA, Engr Richard Yunana Dauda, gave the project overview: a two-lane asphalt carriageway of 7km with 14km of trapezoidal concrete line drains, linking Bill Clinton Drive to the bridge and connecting eight other communities.
CCECC Executive Director Mr. Henry Shao said the project reflects Tinubu and Wike’s determination to extend development to rural areas, noting it will reduce travel time, improve security around the airport, and ease movement of people and agricultural products in and out of the area.
