The Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has officially renamed the Abuja International Conference Centre as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
The announcement came during the commissioning ceremony presided over by President Tinubu on Tuesday in Abuja.
Wike described the newly renovated facility as a world-class structure requiring sustainable maintenance, instituting a strict pay-for-use policy for all visitors regardless of status.
“The Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre is a world-class structure requiring constant maintenance and that anybody using the premises must be made to pay irrespective of his or her status in the society,” the minister declared.
During the event, Wike acknowledged President Tinubu’s leadership in driving the center’s rehabilitation while revealing he faced unspecified pressure regarding the project. The president responded by urging the minister to remain undistracted in his transformative work for the capital city.
“Don’t pay attention to the busybody and the bystanders. Whatever they say, continue with your good work. You’re a transformational leader, you have the foresight and determination to succeed,” Tinubu stated, offering his full endorsement of Wike’s administration.
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The president framed the center’s renovation as emblematic of his government’s infrastructure philosophy.
“This is part of our efforts to change the way we do things and reflect us as people of quality, people of character,” Tinubu added.
Wike provided historical context, noting the facility built in 1991 under General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime had deteriorated from decades of neglect. He introduced stringent new usage protocols to prevent future decline.
“How do we sustain this? I want to let everybody know, whether you’re a ministry, or an agency and you want to use this, you have to pay something, that’s the only way it can be sustained. Nothing like my brother, my sister is going to have wedding. If you want to use a place like this, then you must drop something,” Wike emphasized.
