Wike Unveils Abuja’s 5-pillar Smart City Plan At Dubai Summit

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced that Abuja’s ambitious ‘Smart City Vision’ was being propelled by strategic investments across five pivotal areas: Urban Mobility, Sustainability, Public Safety, Digital Governance, and Economic Empowerment.

The minister made this known on Tuesday while addressing a global audience of city leaders and mayors at the 2025 Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

In a statement signed by his senior special assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the minister was quoted as saying that Abuja was actively collaborating with international agencies and private sector actors to accelerate the innovation.

Key projects include a Smart Water Metering initiative with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Chinese support for intelligent traffic lights, and ongoing ventures like the Abuja City Walk and the Abuja Industrial Park.

“These reflect Abuja’s commitment to leveraging public-private partnerships and city-to-city exchanges to accelerate innovation,” Wike said.

The minister’s presentation at the high-profile forum, which was moderated by Dr. Sukaina Al Nasrawi of the UNESCWA, placed Abuja’s development agenda alongside global smart city leaders from Digital Dubai Authority and the Dubai Future Foundation.

According to the statement, Wike underscored Abuja’s unique status as a purpose-built and ever evolving capital with a clear master plan, vision, and mission anchored on service delivery to citizens.

He noted that under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the ‘Smart City Vision’ was being driven by strategic investments across the five key areas, which he elaborated on.

“Urban Mobility is about expansion of transportation networks, intelligent traffic systems, and public transport solutions to reduce congestion and enhance accessibility,” the minister said.

On sustainability, Wike outlined plans for smart waste management, renewable energy adoption, and waste-to-wealth initiatives aimed at a cleaner, greener environment.

For public safety, he detailed the deployment of smart solar streetlights, CCTV surveillance, and rapid emergency response systems to improve security.

Regarding digital governance, the minister highlighted the “creation of platforms like the FCT Call Centre and digitized land registry to promote citizen engagement, transparency, and efficiency in service delivery.”

While on economic empowerment, Wike stated that it “bothers on creating jobs and attracting tech companies by expanding Abuja’s digital environment.”

Emphasising the human-centric approach of the plan, he also pointed to the importance of data in creating opportunities for Abuja’s youth, referencing Nigeria’s upcoming National Employment Database, developed in partnership with global development partners.

“This system will match skills with job opportunities, guide targeted training, and support entrepreneurship programs led by the Abuja Enterprise Agency.

“Abuja’s transformation into a smart and sustainable city was not only about technology, but about placing citizens at the center of development – building a safer, more inclusive, and prosperous environment for all,” he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the minister held a strategic meeting with the UAE minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem bint Ebrahim Al Hashimy, to strengthen bilateral ties.

Wike was accompanied to the summit by a high-powered delegation, including the Senior Special Assistant on Legal and Multilateral Cooperation, Barr Benedict Daudu; the Acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda; and other senior directors of the FCTA.