By our Reporter
Barrister Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s courageous leadership, vision and political will for the ongoing transformation of Nigeria through massive infrastructure development across the country.
Speaking on Saturday at the 36th Convocation Ceremony of University of Port Harcourt, where he delivered a lecture titled: “Leadership and Infrastructure Development in Nigeria: Lessons for Future Leaders,” Wike said the scale and pace of infrastructure projects under the Tinubu administration demonstrate a commitment to national development and economic growth.
According to the FCT Minister, President Tinubu has shown exceptional determination in tackling difficult national challenges while mobilising resources to address the country’s longstanding infrastructure deficit.
“What the present moment offers is a rare and defining possibility, a window in which purposeful leadership can begin, in earnest, to narrow the enduring gap between Nigeria’s vast potential and its historically uneven performance,” Wike stated.
He added that the President has demonstrated “the courage to confront difficult choices, the capacity to mobilise national resources, and the will to pursue infrastructure as a serious instrument of transformation.”
Wike described infrastructure as one of the most important indicators of effective leadership, stressing that investments in roads, railways, power, housing and digital infrastructure remain critical to economic prosperity and social development.
While acknowledging that some ongoing projects were inherited from previous administrations, he noted that the Tinubu government has brought renewed urgency and strategic direction to their execution.
The minister highlighted several flagship projects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Road, the East-West Road and access roads to the Second Niger Bridge, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to reshaping Nigeria’s economic landscape.
He also pointed to ongoing investments in the rail sector, including the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt-Maiduguri railway corridor and efforts to expand standard-gauge rail networks nationwide.
In the power sector, Wike cited the implementation of the Presidential Power Initiative in partnership with Siemens, rural electrification programmes and mass metering schemes aimed at improving electricity supply and boosting consumer confidence.
The former Rivers State governor further praised the administration’s energy transition agenda, particularly the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative and the National Hydrogen Policy, describing them as forward-looking programmes aligned with global energy trends.
According to him, the government is also making significant investments in housing, aviation, broadband infrastructure, security and education, including the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), which is helping expand access to tertiary education.
Wike described the removal of fuel subsidy as one of the administration’s boldest policy decisions, arguing that it has created additional fiscal space for federal and state governments to invest in infrastructure and other development projects.
“Transformative leadership often requires the courage to choose long-term stability over short-term comfort,” he said.
The minister maintained that infrastructure development should be measured not by the number of projects announced but by their successful completion and lasting impact on citizens.
He warned that Nigeria’s aspirations for sustainable development would remain difficult to achieve without continuous investment in critical sectors such as transportation, power, healthcare and education.
Urging Nigerians to support ongoing development efforts, Wike said infrastructure projects are long-term investments whose benefits may not be immediately visible but are essential for building a functional and integrated economy.
“If this trajectory is to be consolidated, deepened, and translated into lasting national outcomes, it requires not interruption in leadership, but continuity; not hesitation, but sustained commitment,” he said.
He concluded by stressing that leadership should ultimately be judged by its ability to convert vision into tangible results, noting that no nation can rise above the quality of its infrastructure and the commitment of those entrusted with governance.
The lecture formed part of activities marking the university’s 36th Convocation Ceremony, which attracted academics, students, alumni, government officials and other dignitaries from across Nigeria.
