The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has firmly defended the controversial ₦39 billion spent on renovating the Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC), now renamed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
Speaking during the commissioning of the newly constructed Left-Hand Service Carriageway in Abuja on Friday, Wike dismissed criticisms surrounding the renovation cost and the renaming of the facility after President Bola Tinubu, asserting that the upgrades were comprehensive and necessary.
“The only thing in that International Conference Centre that was not changed is just the block work,” Wike stated. “Everything else was replaced. So those criticising the project clearly lack good taste.”
He argued that the original construction of the ICC in 1991 during former military Head of State Ibrahim Babangida’s regime cost ₦240 million, but inflation and exchange rate differences justified the ₦39 billion renovation in 2025.
Wike also fired back at opposition voices, including former Senator Shehu Sani, who questioned why the ICC wasn’t named after Babangida instead of Tinubu. He reminded critics that several Nigerian landmarks were not named after their original builders.
“Was Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport built by Azikiwe? Was Moshood Abiola Stadium built by Abiola?” he asked rhetorically. “It’s about honour, not chronology.”
Highlighting the president’s contribution to Nigeria and the capital, Wike said the renaming was a tribute to Tinubu’s leadership and development agenda. “We have taste, we want the best for the country, and the president has given the best,” he declared.
In a defiant tone, the minister said he had no regrets defending the project or the decision to rename the conference centre. “If you didn’t defend your boss when you had the chance, that’s your business. I’ve done it and I’ll continue to do it.”
What you should know
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike defended the ₦39 billion renovation of the Abuja International Conference Centre, now named after President Tinubu, citing inflation, exchange rate changes, and extensive upgrades.
He dismissed critics as lacking taste and maintained that naming monuments isn’t limited to their original builders, referencing other national landmarks.
