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Chief of Staff, to President Bola TInubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has instituted a legal action against the purported Director General of the Presidential Foreign Promotion Council, Adeniyi Adeyemi.

Gbajabiamila sued Adeyemi for alleged defamation.

In the suit filed before a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, high court, Gbajabiamila is seeking N10 billion as general damages, N5 billion for aggravated damages, N200 million as the cost of the action, and an order compelling Adeyemi to publish a full retraction and apology in five national newspapers.

More to follow…

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…Ends 30-Year Abuja Technology Village Stalemate

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday declared that Nigeria is open for business and ready to welcome both local and foreign investors as he officially launched the Sales Office and Experience Centre for the multi-billion-dollar Abuja City Walk development, describing the project as a major milestone under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the ceremony in Abuja, Tinubu said the launch marked not just the opening of a building but the unveiling of “a window to a multi-billion-dollar future” that would redefine the Federal Capital Territory as a global hub for commerce, innovation and modern urban living.

“It is with deep pride and optimism that I welcome you all to the official launch of the sales office and experience centre for the landmark Abuja City Walk project development,” the President said.

“Today, we are not just opening a building; we are unveiling the window to a multi-billion-dollar future. We are presenting a tangible manifestation of our Renewed Hope Agenda, sculpted in concrete, innovation and unwavering determination.”

Tinubu recalled that his administration had pledged economic transformation and infrastructure renewal upon assuming office, stressing that the project demonstrates the government’s resolve to fulfil those promises.

According to him, the Abuja City Walk development, situated along the Abuja Airport Expressway corridor, is one of the most ambitious private-sector investment projects in Nigeria’s history and will become the country’s foremost gateway to the world.

While inspired by globally acclaimed developments such as Dubai City Walk, the President said the project had been adapted to Nigeria’s unique environment and aspirations.

“This experience centre stands as proof that our administration does not just make promises; we execute them with determination,” he said.

Tinubu noted that sustainable national development could only be achieved through strong collaboration between government and the private sector, describing the Abuja City Walk as a shining example of such partnership.

He disclosed that granting the corridor Free Trade Zone status would eliminate trade bottlenecks and encourage regional commerce, medical tourism, premium retail businesses and high-end hospitality investments.

The President assured investors that Nigeria remains committed to creating a secure investment climate.

“Let me reassure both domestic and international investors: Nigeria is open for business, and your investments are safe. Our legal, physical and financial frameworks are continuously being optimised to protect capital, guarantee returns and eliminate unnecessary administrative bottlenecks,” he said.

Tinubu commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, for reviving the long-abandoned Abuja Technology Village corridor through decisive reforms and efficient land administration.

“For 20 years, the Abuja Technology Village corridor lay dormant. Today, through aggressive land administration reforms and the eradication of bureaucratic inertia, it is being transformed into a bustling construction hub,” he stated.

He added that the administration had ended the era of land speculation and abandoned projects in Abuja, insisting that land should serve as a catalyst for development rather than speculation.

The President charged the FCT Administration and the project developers, Master International Links, to ensure that the launch of the experience centre translates into rapid physical construction.

Beyond its luxury residences, five-star hotels and commercial towers, Tinubu said the project would create tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs for engineers, artisans, professionals and young Nigerians while stimulating supply chains across the FCT and neighbouring states.

Describing Nigeria’s youthful population as one of its greatest assets, he urged investors to take advantage of the country’s demographic strength.

“This experience centre is an invitation to be a part of Nigeria’s future. It is a physical declaration that we possess the courage to conceive big dreams and the discipline to bring them to life,” he said before formally declaring the facility open.

Earlier, FCT Minister Barr Nyesom Wike said the project aligned with President Tinubu’s efforts to attract investment into Nigeria and revealed that it was initiated after discussions with development partners introduced through the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Emem Usoro.

Wike recalled his initial scepticism after years of receiving proposals that never materialised but said he became convinced after the developers demonstrated commitment and accepted immediate inspections of the proposed site.

He disclosed that the 250-hectare site, originally designated for the Abuja Technology Village over three decades ago, had been overtaken by land grabbers and fraudulent land claims before the FCT Administration intervened.

“I put my foot down and said this is government property and I must drive this development to come to the FCT,” Wike said.

The minister explained that he personally chaired the implementation committee to eliminate bureaucratic delays and ensure strict compliance with agreed timelines.

He said government fulfilled its obligations by issuing all statutory approvals within days, constructing access roads through CGC Nigeria Limited and coordinating relevant agencies to fast-track project execution.

“The whole essence of government is to provide an enabling environment for investors to come in and develop. There are a lot of jobs that will be created here,” Wike said.

He, however, warned the developers that failure to meet agreed milestones would result in the withdrawal of the land allocation.

“I’m not interested in theories and theories. I’m interested in keeping to our agreement in terms of what we have said. If the timelines are not met, we’ll take back our land,” he declared.

In his welcome address, Executive Director of Link Developments Master, City Walk, Dr. Kassim Gidado, described the commissioning of the Experience Centre as a major milestone in delivering the Abuja City Walk vision.

He said the facility was designed to provide investors and stakeholders with an immersive preview of the development through physical models, interactive digital displays and fully furnished prototype apartments.

According to him, the master plan envisions a “city within a city” spanning 250 hectares, featuring a Google Tech Village, Knowledge Park with two universities, healthcare facilities, city walk malls, five-star hotels, exhibition centres, residential communities, parks, police and fire stations, places of worship and what is projected to become West Africa’s largest indoor multipurpose arena.

Gidado said the project aims to create a modern, climate-responsive and walkable mixed-use district where innovation, commerce, culture and community life converge, positioning Abuja as a leading destination for global investment and sustainable urban development.

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Senate Public Accounts Committee has issued a one-week ultimatum to external auditors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) to account for more than N210 trillion in unreconciled figures contained in the company’s audited financial statements.

It said that auditors, who certified the accounts, could not evade responsibility for defending them.

The committee, chaired by Ibrahim Dankwambo, handed down the directive on Wednesday after a tense hearing during which lawmakers rejected repeated attempts by the auditors to refer questions back to the NNPCL, insisting that the figures they signed off on must be fully explained.

At the heart of the controversy are N107 trillion recorded as receivables and N103 trillion listed as payables in the company’s audited accounts.

The lawmakers said the figures remain unexplained because neither the NNPCL nor its auditors had produced schedules identifying the transactions, counterparties or calculations behind them.

The auditors, however, informed the committee that the supporting schedules formed part of their working papers and requested about two weeks to retrieve the documents.

The request was firmly rejected.

Dankwambo questioned why auditors, who had certified the accounts, could not immediately produce documents supporting the figures.

When you have figures in audited financial statements, there must be schedules showing exactly how those figures were derived. If those schedules already exist in your working papers, why do you need additional time before presenting them to this committee?” he queried.

But the audit firm said that the NNPCL remained its client and that detailed explanations should ordinarily come from the company, recalling that during an earlier hearing, lawmakers had agreed that NNPCL officials would explain the figures.

That position drew sharp criticism from the committee.

The committee said that NNPCL, being wholly owned by the Federal Government on behalf of Nigerians, could not invoke commercial secrecy to shield information from the Parliament.

“NNPCL belongs to the Nigerian people, not to private shareholders. Parliament has every constitutional right to examine its accounts, and no confidentiality agreement can override that responsibility,” a lawmaker said.

The auditors were thereafter discharged and directed to reappear before the committee within one week with the requested documentation.