Oluremi Tinubu Commends Wike's Transformation of Abuja City Gate, Urges States to Prioritise Environmental Projects
Nigeria's First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for transforming Abuja's City Gate into a modern recreational and environmental landmark, urging state governments to actively involve young people in environmental protection and sustainability initiatives.
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, for transforming Abuja's City Gate into a major recreational and environmental landmark, describing the project as a model for urban renewal and environmental sustainability.
Speaking during a ceremony to honour the FCT Administration for its environmental efforts under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Green Nigeria Challenge in Abuja on Monday, Tinubu described the transformation of the City Gate as "unbelievable" and said it reflected the vision behind the initiative's Community Category.
She revealed that despite a ₦50 million prize introduced to encourage states to reclaim abandoned public spaces and dumpsites, no state participated in that category of the competition.
"It was a ₦50 million prize money and they didn't enter. This was supposed to get our youth involved," she said.
According to the First Lady, the competition was designed to encourage youth groups to transform neglected public spaces into parks, gardens and other eco-friendly facilities that would improve community wellbeing.
She said the redevelopment of Abuja's City Gate perfectly demonstrated how abandoned public spaces could be transformed into attractive national landmarks that promote environmental sustainability and improve residents' quality of life.
Tinubu also appealed to the wives of state governors to mobilise young people to participate in environmental clubs and sustainability programmes in schools and tertiary institutions.
She recalled her own involvement in the Youth Environmental Programme for West Africa during her college years, stressing that such initiatives helped instil environmental consciousness and national responsibility among young people.
"We have to engage our young people and make sure that they can help build. Everybody has something to contribute to this country," she said.
Responding, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike disclosed that the First Lady inspired the transformation of the Abuja City Gate after encouraging the administration to improve the appearance of the nation's capital based on global best practices.
According to him, Tinubu had challenged the FCT Administration to learn from cities in other countries by redesigning the City Gate into a more attractive public space.
Wike explained that the administration subsequently engaged the original designers of the landmark to develop a new concept, resulting in a recreational hub now frequented by residents and visitors.
He added that similar projects would soon be replicated in other parts of Abuja, including the Lifecamp area, where plans are underway to redesign an existing green space into another modern recreational centre.
The minister emphasised that environmental sustainability remained central to urban development, noting that clean surroundings and well-maintained green spaces were essential features of developed cities.
He also thanked the First Lady for recognising the FCT Administration's efforts, saying her encouragement had motivated the administration to improve the capital city's environment further.
During the event, Senator Oluremi Tinubu presented Certificates of Commendation on behalf of the Renewed Hope Initiative to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, in recognition of the administration's environmental achievements.
She also announced that entries for the Household and State categories of the Green Nigeria Challenge would remain open until December 20, 2026.
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