Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has criticized the wealthy citizens of Abuja, claiming that they are the main barrier to voluntary tax compliance, which is necessary to provide the city’s vital infrastructure.
Wike made this declaration on June 20, 2025, when the Collector Road CN2 (Zakari A. Kyari Street) was formally put into service. As part of the events commemorating his second year in office, President Bola Tinubu officially opened the road that connects Katampe District to Ahmadu Bello Way in Mabushi.
Wike asserts that these “big men” frequently neglect to pay taxes and ground rents in Abuja while voluntarily fulfilling their tax duties outside in locations like the US and London. He stated that the CN2 and its associated highways were made feasible by taxes and ground rents paid by law-abiding citizens.
“No one will offer this infrastructure if you don’t pay. Wike underlined that the city depends on taxes to pay for these improvements.
In order to finance development, FCT needs more revenue.
Wike clarified that Abuja only receives 1% of the Federal Government’s monthly allotment, which is insufficient to support infrastructure projects and pay salaries, which are currently over ₦13 billion due to minimum wage increases.
“Abuja is said to be wealthy. What is its income? “We can hardly pay salaries if we rely solely on federal allocation,” he stated.
Read Also: GTBank Loses Case as Abiola’s Son Reclaims N30 Billion Queen’s Drive Mansion
In an effort to promote compliance, he cautioned that the names of those who have not paid their taxes will soon be published in media and asked the people of the Federal Capital Territory to view it as a civic obligation.
Wike and President Tinubu Put Infrastructure First
CGC oversaw the CN2 road project, which was officially launched in October 2024. While Katampe District’s other connecting roads are single carriageways, this one has two carriageways.
The Federal Capital Development Authority’s (FCDA) Acting Executive Secretary, Richard Dauda, stated that the road was constructed to allow the district to be developed further.
At the inauguration, Wike also inspected other ongoing projects, such as the Judges Quarters in Katampe and the soon-to-be-commissioned N5 Road (Obafemi Awolowo Way), which connects Life Camp to Ring Road III.
“In order to keep providing the infrastructure that residents want, we need them to pay their taxes,” Wike continued.
Principal Takeaway
Wike’s call emphasizes how crucial tax compliance is to the development of Abuja’s infrastructure. The FCT government is depending on law-abiding citizens to carry out their civic duties and contribute to the development of the city since the federal funding is insufficient.
