The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, has earmarked part of the N1.78 trillion proposed 2025 FCT statutory budget for the completion of 14 ongoing roads projects across the territory.

Wike disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday when he appeared before the Senate and House of Representative Committees on FCT to defend the 2025 FCT proposed budget. He explained that out of the N1.78 trillion, N1.28 trillion was earmarked for capital projects, representing 72.3 per cent, while N494.1 billion was set aside as recurrent expenditure, representing 27.7 per cent.

He explained that road projects, sited both in the city centre and satellite towns would be handled by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD).

The minister explained that N801.5 billion was allocated to the FCDA, while N137 billion was allocated to the STDD to execute capital projects.

He identified some of the projects as the completion of roads B6 and B12 and full scope development of Arterial Road N20 from Northern Parkway to Outer Northern Expressway (ONEX).

Also pencilled for completion is the provision of engineering infrastructure to Guzape Districts, the provision of engineering infrastructure to Wuye District and the provision of engineering infrastructure to Maitama II District.

“Others are the extension of Inner Southern Expressway (ISEX) from Southern Parkway (S8/S9) to Ring Road II, and full scope development of FCT Highway 105 (Kuje Road) from Airport Expressway to Outer Southern Expressway OSEX with Spur at Kyami District.

“Also for completion are the construction of Northern Parkway from Ring Road II to Ring Road III (6.2Km), full scope development of Arterial Road N20 from Arterial Road N5, and Rehabilitation of Old Keffi Road.

“The full scope development of Arterial Road N1 from Wuye District to Ring Road II, and the provision of access road to Bus Terminals in FCT would also be completed.

“Other ongoing road projects include the dualisation and upgrading of Ushafa War College/Army Check Point Road and other Ancillary Roads, and construction of Pai to Gomani Road in Kwali Area Council and dualization of Kuje to Gwagwalada Road,” he said.

The minister explained that the 14 ongoing projects would be sped up and completed before the end of 2025 fiscal year.

He said that the expansion and rehabilitation of the roads would eventually reduce the travel time and traffic gridlock on roads within and outside the capital city.

Ningi, who equates the current status of the FCT with Johannesburg and Cairo, however, urges the FCT minister to do more to improve the security in the territory.

The leadership and members of the National Assembly have lauded the exceptional performance of Mr Nyesom Wike as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The lawmakers gave the commendation when Wike appeared before them to defend the N1.78 trillion FCT Statutory Budget proposal for the 202 fiscal year.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on FCT, Sen. Ibrahim Bomai, particularly commended Wike for the wonderful performance in just a short time as FCT minister, along with the FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud.

Bomai also said he was impressed with the FCT’s 2025 revenue and fiscal framework.

“This is the first time FCT is proposing to generate about N1.7 trillion. What FCT has presented is one of the best budgets so far.

Also, the N608 billion projected Internally Generated Revenue for 2025 also shows a significant improvement,” he said.

Also, Sen. Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central, PDP), commended the FCT minister for the comprehensive turnaround of Abuja as Nigeria’s capital city.

Ningi, who equates the current status of the FCT with Johannesburg and Cairo, however, urged the minister to do more to improve the security in the territory.

Similarly, Sen. Mohammed Ndume (Borno South APC) said: “Everybody that knows where Abuja was two years ago and what it is now, knows that you have done well.

“Even yesterday, my friend told me that Wike is doing fine, and I said no, it is the Senate that is doing fine because without approving his budget, he cannot do anything”.

Ndume pledged the continued support of the Senate to enable him to succeed.

On his part, Sen. Osita Ozunaso (Imo West, APC) said that the FCT budget performance was commendable, particularly the reduction in personnel cost to allocate more funds to capital projects.

“Whenever we are sitting on budgets, people come here and they increase the personnel cost, but you have reduced the personnel cost in the 2025 proposed budget by N21 billion from the amount allocated in 2024.

“Second, you have more capital expenditure than recurrent expenditure. This is commendable,” Ozunaso said.

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North, APC) described Wike as one of the best ministers under the APC administration.

Oshiomhole noted that too much money was being spent on overhead with very little available for infrastructure, “what Wike has done is worth noting and commendation”.

He also commended the FCT minister for implementing specific programmes to bring life to rural communities in FCT.

This, he said, was the most potent statement to decongest the city, by taking development to the people where they live.

Also, Sen. Ireti Kingibe (FCT, LP), who had been very critical of Wike’s leadership style, commended the minister for the visible performance, which she said was undisputable.

Earlier, at the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Committee on FCT, Mr Muktar Betara, commended Wike for the ongoing transformation of the nation’s capital.

Other lawmakers took turns to applaud the exemplary performance and dedication of the FCT minister to deliver the dividend of democracy to FCT residents in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Earlier, Wike appealed to the lawmakers to approve the N1.78 trillion FCT Statutory Budget proposal for the 2025 fiscal year.

He explained that out of the N1.78 trillion, N1.28 trillion was earmarked for capital projects, representing 72.3 percent, while N494.1 billion was set aside for recurrent expenditure, representing 27.7 per cent.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced a fresh round of mop-up examinations to accommodate the over 5.6 per cent of candidates who missed the just-concluded 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.

JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, made the disclosure on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, stating that the initiative will cover all affected candidates, regardless of the reason for their absence.

He said, “This time, we are creating a new mop-up. Even those who missed the earlier exam due to absence will get another opportunity.

“It’s not extraordinary. In any serious system, when students miss an exam, they’re allowed to make up—provided there’s no abuse.”

Oloyede emphasised that the UTME is a placement test, not a measure of intelligence or academic potential.

“Its purpose is to rank candidates for limited admission slots, not to test how smart someone is,” he clarified.

Addressing growing criticism and conspiracy theories about the examination process, Oloyede firmly rejected claims of ethnic bias or administrative incompetence.

He stated, “I take responsibility, not because I failed, but because that’s leadership.

“I didn’t even realise people viewed issues around me through ethnic lenses. We must rise above such profiling.

”Oloyede als praised both candidates and staff for their resilience amid logistical difficulties.

“We had limited space. We knew if we wasted more time grieving the challenges, students would lose their opportunity,” he said.

The special mop-up exam will be scheduled soon, and JAMB says it remains committed to transparency and fairness in admissions.