The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with MAG International Links Ltd to develop City Walk Abuja, a replica of the City Walk in Dubai.
The Dubai City Walk is a popular lifestyle destination, offering a mix of retail, dining, entertainment, hospitality, wellness, and automotive experiences, designed to combine urban living with modern sophistication.
Nyesom Wike, the minister of the FCT, announced the partnership during a signing ceremony on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said the project would span about 200 hectares and feature residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, institutional, and healthcare facilities.
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Wike said the investor has submitted their development plans (which have been approved), adding that their certificate of occupancy (C-of-O) is also ready.
The minister said the MoU would ensure the investor delivers the project according to agreed timelines.
“But we have to sign an agreement such that if you don’t comply within the outlined specification and agreed timeline, then we have the right to revoke the land,” he said.
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“We are not going to just give you a C-of-O and then nothing happens. We will not accept that again.”
‘WE’LL NO LONGER TOLERATE THE TREND OF LEAVING LAND IDLE’
The minister criticised land speculators who secure land for mass housing but later sell it off instead of developing the property.
Wike said his administration will no longer tolerate the trend of land being left idle for decades, adding that strict monitoring will be enforced.
He said the project would take place on the site originally allocated for Abuja Technology Village in Lugbe, along Airport Road, which had remained undeveloped for the past 20 years.
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“I want to make it clear that we have had problems with land grabbers in Abuja Technology Village, even those in the technology village are part of the problems,” the minister said.
“In the past 20 years, nothing has happened in the area and therefore, I would not like to use this opportunity that we have seen investors who really want to invest and develop the land for the good of the city.
“If anybody has gone to Dubai and has seen the City Walk, there is no way you will not appreciate and encourage investors that are willing to do the same in Abuja.
“This is because the whole essence of the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ is not only to bring investors, but also to create employment for our people.”
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Wike said the project would be implemented in phases, with the foundation-laying scheduled between July and August.
He said the first phase is expected to be completed by May 2026 to mark President Bola Tinubu’s third year in office.
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The former Rivers governor said the FCTA would provide necessary infrastructure and ensure there are no bureaucratic delays.
“The executive secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority is doing his best to see that there is no delay in this project. We have made sure that legally, nothing will hinder the company from executing the project,” he said.
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“To encourage them, Director Development Control is here to make sure that nobody obstructs them and the Director of Land is here to make sure they have access to their land.”
Kassim Gidado, the group managing director of MAG, said recent reforms in the FCT have improved investor confidence.
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He said the project would reflect local culture while transforming the Lugbe axis, replicating and surpassing the City Walk in Dubai.
Gidado said the project would combine elegance, sustainability, and economic value to redefine urban living in Abuja.
