Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has confirmed that the newly constructed bus and taxi terminals in Abuja will commence operations once the Federal Executive Council approves the Public Private Partnership arrangement for their management.
Wike gave the update on Thursday after inspecting ongoing road projects across the capital city. He explained that although two of the three terminals have been completed and inaugurated, they cannot begin full operations until the PPP contracts are ratified by the Federal Executive Council.
The FCT Administration began construction of the three bus terminals in 2024, with one each located in Kugbo, Mabushi and the Central Business District. The projects were awarded at a total cost of N51 billion. The Kugbo and Mabushi terminals were completed and inaugurated in June 2025 as part of activities marking President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office. The CBD terminal is currently at the final stage of completion.
Despite the inauguration, the completed terminals have remained idle for months, raising questions from residents about the delay in takeoff.
Addressing the concerns, Wike said the management structure for the facilities goes beyond ministerial approval. According to him, the FCT Administration decided that the Transport Secretariat would not operate the terminals. Instead, competent private operators would manage them under a PPP framework.
He noted that the procurement process has passed through the Bureau of Public Procurement and is now awaiting final clearance from the Federal Executive Council. He expressed confidence that the contracts would be presented at the next FEC meeting and approved, clearing the way for operations to begin.
Wike also disclosed plans for additional terminals in Gwagwalada, Bwari and Kuje as part of a broader strategy to modernise Abuja’s transport infrastructure. He said the terminals are designed to address long-standing issues such as traffic congestion and indiscriminate parking along major roads by providing organised loading and parking hubs for buses and taxis.
Biodun Otunola, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Planet Project Ltd, the contractor handling the project, previously stated that the Kugbo and Mabushi terminals are each built to process more than 10,000 passengers daily. He said the facilities can accommodate up to 120 buses and taxis per day for both intercity and intra-city travel.
Otunola explained that the CBD terminal is structured mainly for intra-city transport operations. He added that each of the three terminals is expected to create at least 100 direct jobs across security, ticketing, facility management, electrical and mechanical services, maintenance and operations control.
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Describing the scale of the project, he said managing a terminal would be comparable to running a small airport due to the coordination required.
He further noted that Abuja would ultimately require no fewer than 12 bus and taxi terminals to adequately serve its growing population. Proposed locations include Gwagwalada, Kuje, Gwarinpa, Lugbe, Area 1, Area 3 in Garki, Wuse and other strategic districts within the city centre.
The commencement of operations at the Abuja bus terminals is now tied to the next decision of the Federal Executive Council, a move that residents and transport operators are watching closely as the FCT pushes to reform public transportation.
