In a bold move to address the long-standing chaos and insecurity in Abuja’s public transport system, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed that comprehensive reforms are underway to restructure and regulate the sector.
The announcement followed Wike’s inspection of the newly completed Kugbo and Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminals on Friday.
The terminals, which are set for commissioning as part of events marking President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office, are part of a larger plan to modernise the capital’s transportation network.
“We are doing everything possible to strengthen our transportation system,” Wike said during the inspection tour. “Obviously, a lot of things will happen in the transport sector in the FCT. There will be a lot of reforms.”
According to the minister, a committee has already been set up and is finalising the framework for the reforms, which he said would be rolled out before the formal inauguration of the terminals.
One of the major thrusts of the plan is the identification and registration of all taxi operators in the city, along with the introduction of a uniform colour scheme for vehicles.
“As part of security measures, we must know those involved in the taxi business and what colour to use, so that if anything happens, we will be able to identify them,” Wike explained.
The initiative also includes the planned removal of illegal roadside motor parks, which have become a common feature of the FCT’s transport landscape and a source of congestion and insecurity.
Wike also toured the completed access road to Giri District, another project ready for commissioning. Expressing satisfaction with the quality of the infrastructure, he noted some corrections were still needed but praised the contractor’s performance.
“We will continue to support local contractors who are willing to give the best to Nigerians,” he said.
The Kugbo and Mabushi Terminals, along with an ongoing terminal project in the Central Area, are part of a broader strategy to streamline urban mobility in the capital. The minister also disclosed plans for two new terminals to be constructed in Bwari and Gwagwalada.
Wike’s renewed focus on the transport sector signals a shift towards a more organised, safer, and efficient commuting experience in the FCT, a city often criticised for its disjointed public transit system.
