Wike defends N39bn renovation of Abuja International Conference Centre

By Kunle Sanni

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the N39 billion spent on renovating the Abuja International Conference Centre (AICC), saying critics of the project “do not have good taste.”

Wike made the remarks on Friday during the commissioning of the newly constructed left-hand service carriageway in Abuja. The FCT administration had faced backlash since announcing in March that the centre would undergo a major overhaul.

The refurbished facility, which was inaugurated on Tuesday, has been renamed after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Wike said the extensive renovation was necessary to reflect Nigeria’s status as the “Giant of Africa.”

“The only thing in that International Conference Centre that was not changed is just the block work. Everything in that Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre was changed,” he said.

He argued that no patriotic Nigerian should criticise the project, stressing that the renovation was essential for national image and pride. “Nigeria must not just claim to be the Giant of Africa; people must see it,” Wike said.

Responding to criticisms comparing the renovation cost to the original construction cost of N240 million in 1991, Wike described the comparison as misleading. “What was the exchange rate in 1991? Compare it to what we have in 2025,” he said.

He also defended naming the facility after President Tinubu, noting that other national landmarks bear the names of individuals who did not construct them. “Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport was not built by Nnamdi Azikwe. Moshood Abiola International Stadium was not built by Moshood Abiola,” he argued.

Wike concluded that the decision to honour Tinubu with the renaming was appropriate, emphasizing the importance of recognising national leadership and progress.