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Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a
master plan Master Plan, Masterplan or The Master Plan may refer to: General usage *Master Plan East or Generalplan Ost, a 1941–1945 Nazi plan for genocide and ethnic cleansing in Central and Eastern Europe *Master Plan Neighborhood areas in Detroit, urban ...
by International Planning Associates (IPA), a consortium of three American planning and architecture firms made up of Wallace, Roberts, McHarg & Todd (WRMT – a group of architects) as the lead, Archisystems International (a subsidiary of the Howard Hughes Corporation), and Planning Research Corporation. The Central Business District of Abuja was designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange. It replaced Lagos, the country's most populous city, as the capital on 12 December 1991. Abuja's geography is defined by Aso Rock, a monolith left by water erosion. The Presidential Complex, National Assembly,
Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
and much of the city extend to the south of the rock. Zuma Rock, a monolith, lies just north of the city on the expressway to Kaduna. At the 2006 census, the city of Abuja had a population of 776,298 and 179,674 households making it one of the ten most populous cities in Nigeria (placing eighth as of 2006). According to the United Nations, Abuja grew by 139.7% between 2000 and 2010, making it the fastest growing city in the world. , the city is experiencing an annual growth of at least 35%, retaining its position as the fastest-growing city on the African continent and one of the fastest-growing in the world. As of 2016, the
metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a typ ...
area of Abuja is estimated at six million persons, placing it behind only Lagos as the most populous metro area in Nigeria. Major religious sites include the Nigerian National Mosque and the
Nigerian National Christian Centre The National Christian Centre (previously known as the National Ecumenical Centre and sometimes known as the National Church of Nigeria) is a Christian place of worship in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. It is located in Abuja, the capital city. The c ...
. The city is served by the
Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is an international airport serving Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It is the main airport serving the Nigerian capital city and was named after Nigeri ...
. Abuja is known for being one of the few purpose-built capital cities in Africa, as well as being one of the wealthiest. Abuja is Nigeria's administrative and political capital. It is also a key capital on the African continent due to Nigeria's geo-political influence in regional affairs. Abuja is also a conference centre and hosts various meetings annually, such as the 2003 Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting and the 2014 World Economic Forum (Africa) meetings. Abuja joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2016.


History

"Abuja" was in the earlier 20th century the name of the nearby town now called
Suleja Suleja is a city in Niger State, Nigeria, pop. (2016) local government area, 260,240, just north of Abuja, capital of the Suleja Emirate. It is sometimes confused with the nearby city of Abuja, due to its proximity, and the fact that it was origi ...
. The indigenous inhabitants of Abuja are the
Gbagyi Gbagyi or Gbari (plural - Agbagyi/Agbari) is the name and the language of Gbagyi/Gbari ethnic group who are predominantly found in Central Nigeria, with a population of about 1 million people. Members of the ethnic group speak two dialects. While ...
(Gwari), with the
Gbagyi language Gwari is a kwa language spoken by the Gbagyi people, which make up over a million people in Nigeria. There are two principal varieties, Gbari (West Gwari) and Gbagyi (East Gwari), which have some difficulty in communication; sociolinguistically ...
formerly being the major language of the region. Other groups in the area include the Bassa,
Gwandara Gwandara is a West Chadic language, and the closest relative of Hausa. Its several dialects are spoken in northern Nigeria, predominantly in the north central region of Nigeria by the Gwandara people and some settlers who are about 30,000 people. ...
, Gade, Dibo, Nupe and
Koro Koro may refer to: Geography *Koro Island, a Fijian island *Koro Sea, in the Pacific Ocean *Koro, Ivory Coast *Koro, Mali *Koro, Wisconsin, United States, an unincorporated community Languages *Koro language (India), an endangered language spoken ...
. In light of the ethnic and religious divisions of Nigeria, plans had been devised since Nigeria's independence to have its capital in a place deemed neutral to all major ethnic parties, and also in close proximity to all the regions of Nigeria. The location was eventually designated in the centre of the country in the early 1970s as it signified neutrality and national unity. Another impetus for Abuja came because of Lagos' population boom that made that city overcrowded and conditions squalid. As Lagos was already undergoing rapid economic development, the Nigerian regime felt the need to expand the economy towards the inner part of the country, and hence decided to move its capital to Abuja. The logic used was similar to the way Brazil planned its capital, Brasília. The Federal Military Government of Nigeria, promulgated decree No. 6 on 4 February 1976, which initiated the removal of the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja. The initial work for Abuja's planning and implementation were carried out by the Military Government of General's
Murtala Mohammed Murtala Ramat Muhammad (8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976) was a Nigerian general who led the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup in overthrowing the Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi military regime and featured prominently during the Nigerian Civil War ...
and Olusegun Obasanjo and carried over into the Administration of Shehu Shagari. Construction started in the late 1970s but, due to economic and political instability, the initial stages of the city were not complete until the late 1980s. The move of Nigeria's Capital to Abuja was controversial, and the biggest opposition to it was led by Obafemi Awolowo. Awolowo, as a politician and a representative of the Yoruba people, defended their claims against the move of the Capital from Lagos. During the hotly-contested campaign for the presidency, he vowed to hire the American
Walt Disney Corporation The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October 1 ...
to convert the new site (Abuja) into an amusement park if he was elected. However, after his election as president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari laid the first foundation for Abuja's infrastructure and pushed for its early completion. His first journey outside of Lagos after his election was to Abuja, where he visited contractors and workers on site to urge a speedy completion of the project. On his return, he confided in Alhaji
Abubakar Koko Alhaji Abubakar Garba Koko, , Sarkin Yakin Gwandu, (1937 – 26 December 2003), was a Nigerian civil servant, Administrator, and Politician who served as the first Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja. ...
his disappointment with the slow progress of work. Shehu Shagari rescheduled the planned relocation to Abuja from 1986 to 1982 which later proved difficult. The International Planning Associates (IPA) was commissioned in June 1977, by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to produce the Abuja Master Plan and its regional grid. According to the terms of reference, the master planning process was to include a review of relevant data, selection of a capital city site, preparation of regional and city plans and the accompanying design and development standards manual. IPA did not exist prior to the Nigerian Government's engagement for an internationally reputable firm to design the master plan. IPA was formed by a consortium of three American firms which won the worldwide competitive bidding. The firms were Planning Research Corporation (PRC), Wallace, McHarg, Roberts and Todd, and Archisystems (a division of the Hughes Organisation). After winning the bid, and completing the project, the firms were disbanded. The final report was submitted to the pioneer Executive Secretary of FCDA, Alhaji
Abubakar Koko Alhaji Abubakar Garba Koko, , Sarkin Yakin Gwandu, (1937 – 26 December 2003), was a Nigerian civil servant, Administrator, and Politician who served as the first Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja. ...
, on 15 February 1979. In the preface to the master plan, the following declaration was made by IPA: The master plan for Abuja defined the general structure and major design elements of the city that are now visible. More detailed design of the central areas of the capital, particularly its monumental core, was accomplished by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, with his team of city planners at Kenzo Tange and Urtec company. Most countries relocated their embassies to Abuja, and many maintain their former embassies as consulates in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria. Abuja is the headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the regional headquarters of
OPEC The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC, ) is a cartel of countries. Founded on 14 September 1960 in Baghdad by the first five members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela), it has, since 1965, been headquart ...
. Abuja and the FCT have experienced huge population growth; it has been reported that some areas around Abuja have been growing at 20% to 30% per year. Squatter settlements and towns have spread rapidly in and outside the city limits. Tens of thousands of people have been evicted since former FCT minister Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai started a demolition campaign in 2003.


Administration

Abuja city is run by the Abuja Municipal Area Council. In addition to the civic administration the city is the location for the federal government of Nigeria, and likewise the
Federal Capital Territory Administration The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is a Nigerian ministry that administers the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It is headed by a Minister appointed by the President, assisted by a Permanent Secretary, who is a career civil ser ...
which is responsible for the encompassing
Federal Capital Territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...
.


Abuja Municipal Area Council

The Abuja Municipal Area Council is the local government responsible for administration of the city. Councillorship and chairmanship elections are held regularly. The
People's Democratic Party People's Democratic Party or ''variant thereof'', could refer to: * People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan *People's Democratic Party (Belize) *People's Democratic Party (Bhutan) *People's Democratic Party (Chile) * People's Democratic Party (Dom ...
won the 2013 election, as it had in 2010.


Federal Capital Territory Administration

The Federal Capital Territory is headed by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, who is appointed by the central government. The Federal Capital Territory Minister appoints members to the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council. The Federal Capital Territory's ministers have been as follows: *Mobolaji Ajose-Adeogun 1976–1979 *John Jatau Kadiya, 1979–1982 *Iro Abubakar Dan Musa, 1982–1983 *Haliru Dantoro, 1983–1984 *
Mamman Jiya Vatsa Mamman Jiya Vatsa (3 December 1940 – 5 March 1986) was a Nigerian general and poet who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Abuja, and was a member of the Supreme Military Council On 5 March 1986, he was executed by the military re ...
, 1984 – December 1985 *
Hamza Abdullahi Hamza Abdullahi (2 March 1945 – 3 January 2019) was a Nigerian statesman and military administrator who served as Governor of Kano State from 1984 to 1985; and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 1986 to 1989. Early life Hamza Abdu ...
, 1986–1989 *
Gado Nasko Muhammad Gado Nasko (born 1941) was the military governor of Sokoto State, Nigeria between 1978 and 1979."Sokoto State's measure to control preachers," British Broadcasting Corporation, February 15, 1979 Early life Nasko retired from the army i ...
, 1989–1993 *
Jeremiah Timbut Useni Jeremiah Timbut Useni (born 16 February 1943) is a retired Nigerian army lieutenant general, who served as minister responsible for the administration of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja under the Sani Abacha military junta. He served Nigeria ...
, 1993–1998 * Mamman Kontagora, 1998–1999 *Ibrahim Bunu, 1999–2001 *
Mohammed Abba Gana Mohammed Abba Gana (born 1943) served as a Special Adviser on Civil Society to the Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar until 22 June 2006, when he was sacked by President Olusegun Obasanjo. He had previously served as a Federal Capital Territ ...
, 2001–2003 * Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, 2003 – May 2007 *
Aliyu Modibo Aliyu Modibbo Umar (born 15 November 1958) is a Nigerian technocrat who was the federal Minister of State for Power and Steel from December 2002 to May 2003, Minister of Commerce from July 2006 to July 2007, then Minister for the FCT (Federal Ca ...
, 2007–2008 *
Adamu Aliero Muhammad Adamu Aliero (born 1 January 1957) was governor of Kebbi State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He became Senator for Kebbi Central from June 5, 2007 till December 18, 20 ...
, 2008–2010 *
Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed (born 5 October 1958) is Nigerian politician who is the Governor of Bauchi State. Prior to becoming governor of Bauchi State, he was Minister of Federal Capital Territory from 2010 to 2015; and a Senator from Bauchi Stat ...
, 2010–2015 * Mohammed Bello, 2015–present


Phases

For ease and co-ordination of developmental efforts, the city was divided into 'Phases' by its planners, with the city's development taking a concentric form with Phase 1, which consists of the city's inner districts-Central Area, Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse, Wuse II, Garki, Garki II, Guzape and Guzape II-at its core spreading out from the foot of Aso Rock, while Phase 5, consisting of the newly created Kyami District covering the vicinity of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and the permanent campus of the University of Abuja, over 40 kilometres west of Aso Rock. Each Phase is separated from the other by an expressway (some still under construction); for example, Phases 1 and 2 are separated from each other by the Nnamdi Azikiwe expressway, while the entirety of the city proper (Phases 1–5) are enclosed by the Murtala Muhammed (Outer Northern-ONEX and Outer Southern-OSEX) expressways as well as the Federal A2 highway which traverses the Federal Capital Territory on its way to Kaduna (north-bound) and Lokoja (south-bound). Thus there is an integration of the city's road network with the Federal highway network, providing access to the immediate outlying countryside and the surrounding states of the country i.e. Niger State to the west, Kaduna State to the north, Nasarawa State to the east and Kogi State to the south. The Phase 1 area of the city is divided into ten districts known as cadastral zones. * Central Cadastral Zone A00 *
Garki I District Cadastral Zone A01 Garki may refer to: *Garki, Abuja Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a ...
* Wuse 1 District Cadastral Zone A02 *
Garki II District Cadastral Zone A03 Garki may refer to: *Garki, Abuja, a district in Abuja *Garki, Jigawa, a Local Government Area of Jigawa State **Garki Project The Garki Project was a non-profit study conducted by the World Health Organization from 1969 to 1976 in the Garki Local ...
* Asokoro Cadastral Zone A04 * Maitama District Cadastral Zone A05 & A06 * Wuse II Districts (Cadastral Zone A07 & Cadastral Zone A08) * Guzape District Cadastral Zone A09 *
Maitama II District Cadastral Zone A10 Abuja () is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated at the centre of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a ...
There are also sixteen districts in Phase 2. * Kukwuaba Cadastral Zone B00 * Gudu Cadastral Zone B01 * Durumi Cadastral Zone B02 * Wuye Cadastral Zone B03 * Jabi Cadastral Zone B04 * Utako Cadastral Zone B05 * Mabuchi Cadastral Zone B06 * Jahi Cadastral Zone B08 * Kado Cadastral Zone B09 * Dakibiyu Cadastral Zone B10 * Kaura Cadastral Zone B11 * Duboyi Cadastral Zone B12 * Gaduwa Cadastral Zone B13 * Dutse Cadastral Zone B14 * Katampe Ext Cadastral Zone B19 There are eleven districts in Phase 3. * Institution and Research Cadastral Zone C00 * Karmo Cadastral Zone C01 * Gwarimpa Cadastral Zone C02 * Dape Cadastral Zone C04 * Kafe Cadastral Zone C05 * Nbora Cadastral Zone C06 * Galadimawa Cadastral Zone C07 * Dakwo Cadastral Zone C08 * Lokogoma Cadastral Zone C09 * Wumba Cadastral Zone C10 * Idu Industrial Cadastral Zone C16 There are five suburban districts:
Nyanya New Nyanya is a town in Nasarawa State. It is a district of Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, and is among the towns that make up the Karu Urban Area, a conurbation of towns stretching into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). New Nyan ...
,
Karu Karu may refer to: ; Places * Karu, Estonia * Karu LGA, Nigeria ** Karu Urban Area * Karu Nadu, South West India * Karu, Ladakh, North India ; Languages * Karu language ; People * Erkki Karu (1887–1935), Finnish film director, screenwriter and ...
,
Gwagwalada Gwagwalada is a local government area in the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria. Gwagwalada has an area of 1,043 km2 and a population of 157,770 at the 2006 census. It is projected to have a 6.26% growth between 2020 and 2025, the large ...
, Kubwa, and Jukwoyi. Along the Airport Road (Now
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Umaru Musa Yar'Adua (16 August 19515 May 2010) was a Nigerian politician who, was the President of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010. He was declared the winner of the Nigerian presidential election held on 21 April 2007, and was sworn in on 29 May 20 ...
Express Way) are clusters of
satellite settlements A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisoto ...
, namely Lugbe, Chika, Kuchigworo and Pyakassa. Other satellite settlements are Idu (the main industrial zone), Mpape, Karimu, Gwagwa, Dei-Dei (housing the International Livestock market and also International Building materials market).


Cityscape

The Abuja skyline is made up of mostly mid-range and a few tall buildings. Only recently have tall buildings begun to appear. Most of the buildings are modern, reflecting that it is a new city. Plans were made to build skyscrapers such as the Millennium Tower which is partly completed as work has stalled for the last few years. This structure looms above the city. The tower is part of a huge cultural development complex called the Nigeria National Complex including the Nigeria Cultural Centre, a structure dedicated to the art and culture of Nigeria. The Cultural Centre and the Millennium Tower have been designed by the Italian architect
Manfredi Nicoletti Manfredi Nicoletti (16 June 1930 – 29 October 2017) was an Italian architect. Biography Nicoletti is considered a pioneer in Bioclimatic urban and architectural design. In the 1970s his book ''L'ecosistema urbano'' (The Urban Ecosystem) - a t ...
. Landmarks include the Millennium Tower, the
Central Bank of Nigeria The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the central bank and apex monetary authority of Nigeria established by the CBN Act of 1958 and commenced operations on 1 July 1959. The major regulatory objectives of the bank as stated in the CBN Act are ...
headquarters, the Nigerian Presidential Complex, the Ship House, the National Stadium, which was the main venue of the 2003 All Africa Games and some games, including the final, of the 2009 FIFA Under-17 World Cup,
National Mosque This is an incomplete list of some of the more famous mosques around the world. List See also * Islamic architecture * List of largest mosques * List of the oldest mosques in the world ** List of mosques that are mentioned by name in the Q ...
, the
National Church A national church is a Christian church associated with a specific ethnic group or nation state. The idea was notably discussed during the 19th century, during the emergence of modern nationalism. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, in a draft discussing ...
, Aso Rock and Zuma Rock.


Parks and open areas

Abuja is home to several parks and green areas with the largest one being
Millennium Park Millennium Park is a public park located in the Loop community area of Chicago, operated by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs. The park, opened in 2004 and intended to celebrate the third millennium, is a prominent civic center near ...
. Millennium Park was designed by architect
Manfredi Nicoletti Manfredi Nicoletti (16 June 1930 – 29 October 2017) was an Italian architect. Biography Nicoletti is considered a pioneer in Bioclimatic urban and architectural design. In the 1970s his book ''L'ecosistema urbano'' (The Urban Ecosystem) - a t ...
and was officially opened by the United Kingdom's
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
(the former
Queen of Nigeria Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
) in December 2003. Another open area park is located in Lifecamp Gwarimpa; near the residence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. The park is located on a slightly raised hilltop which contains sports facilities like Basketball and Badminton courts another park is the city park, it is located in wuse 2 and is home to numerous outdoor and indoor attractions such as a 4D cinema, Astro-turf, lawn tennis court, paintball arena and a variety of restaurants. The National Children's Park and Zoo host a number of animals, and recreation spots.


Bush Bars

Abuja has a variety of informal spaces known as "Bush Bars" that usually, though not always, include a covered area with tables and chairs where people can sit and have drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and sometimes there are snacks such as
suya Suya or tsire is traditional smoked spiced meat skewer which originates from Northern Nigeria, Hausa Land and is a popular food item across West Africa. Suya (also pronounced Soya) is a big part of Hausa culture and food and is historically prep ...
, grilled catfish, pounded
yam Yam or YAM may refer to: Plants and foods *Yam (vegetable), common name for members of ''Dioscorea'' * Taro, known in Malaysia and Singapore as yam * Sweet potato, specifically its orange-fleshed cultivars, often referred to as yams in North Amer ...
, egusi soup and other small items available for purchase. They are located all over Abuja.


Central Business District

Abuja's Central District, also called Central Area, is a strip of land stretching from Aso Rock in the east to the National Stadium and the Old City gate in the West. It is like the city's spinal cord, dividing it into the northern sector with Maitama and Wuse, and the southern sector with Garki and Asokoro. While each district has its own clearly demarcated commercial and residential sectors, the Central District is the city's principal Business Zone, where practically all parastatals and multinational corporations have their offices. An attractive area in the Central District is the region known as the Three Arms Zone, so-called because it houses the administrative offices of the executive, legislative and judicial arms of the federal government. A few of the other sites worth seeing in the area are the federal secretariats alongside Shehu Shagari Way, Aso Hill, the Abuja Plant Nursery, Eagle Square (which has important historic significance, as it was in this grounds that the present democratic dispensation had its origin on 29 May 1999) and in which all subsequent Presidential Inauguration ceremonies have taken place. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is situated across Shehu Shagari Way facing Eagle Square. This section is usually closed to traffic during the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day ceremonies that is observed on 15 January. The
National Mosque This is an incomplete list of some of the more famous mosques around the world. List See also * Islamic architecture * List of largest mosques * List of the oldest mosques in the world ** List of mosques that are mentioned by name in the Q ...
and
National Church of Nigeria The National Christian Centre (previously known as the National Ecumenical Centre and sometimes known as the National Church of Nigeria) is a Christian place of worship in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. It is located in Abuja, the capital city. The c ...
are opposite each other on either side of Independence Avenue. A well-known government office is the Ministry of Defense, colloquially nicknamed "Ship House". Also located here is the yet-to-be-completed National Square, Millennium tower and Nigeria Cultural Centre multi-functional complex.


Garki District

The Garki District is the area in the southwest corner of the city, having the Central District to the north and the Asokoro District to the east. The district is subdivided into units called "Areas". Garki uses a distinctive naming convention of "Area" to refer to parts of Garki. These are designated as Areas 1 to 11. Garki II is used to differentiate the area from Garki Area 2. Visitors may find this system confusing. Garki is presently the principal business and administrative district of Abuja. Numerous buildings of interest are in this area. Some of them include the General Post Office, Abuja International Conference Centre along the busy Herbert Macaulay Way, Nicon Luxury Hotel (formally known as Abuja Sofitel Hotel and Le Meridian), Agura Hotel and Old Federal Secretariat Complex Buildings (Area 1). A new five-star hotel, Hawthorn Suites Abuja, is in Garki. Area 2 is mainly used for residential purposes, although a zoological garden, as well as a small shopping centre, are to be found here as well. Several banks and other commercial offices are located along Moshood Abiola Way in Area 7. The headquarters of the Nigerian Armed Forces – Army, Airforce and Navy – is located on Muhammadu Buhari Way in the Garki District. The tallest building in this district is the Radio House located at the Area 11 sector, which houses the Federal Ministry of Information and Communications, the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Voice of Nigeria (VON). The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) stations and corporate headquarters are also in Garki. The Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) which oversees and runs the Administration of the Federal Capital Territory has its offices in Garki. The Office of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory is in Area 11. This is the location of the Federal Capital Development Authority and other administrative buildings. A popular sub-neighborhood here is found in the vicinity of Gimbiya street, because it has the unique characteristic of being a purely administrative zone on weekdays, while transforming purely into an entertainment zone on weeknights and weekends. Other places of note include the Cyprian Ekwensi Arts & Culture Centre and The Nigerian Police Mobile Force CID (Criminal Investigation Department) headquarters in Area 10. The Abuja Municipal Area Council, which is the local government administration has its headquarters in Area 10. The new United States Embassy is in the Diplomatic Zone which adjoins Garki.


Wuse District

Wuse District is the northwestern part of the city, with the Maitama District to its north and the Central District to its south. The District is numbered Zones 1–6. The Wuse Market is Abuja's principal market. The second most important post office in the city is here. This district houses the Sheraton Hotel and Towers (Zone 4), Grand Ibro International hotel, the Federal Road Safety Corps Headquarters (Zone 3), Nigerian Customs Services Headquarters, Federal Civil Service Commission (Zone 3), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration (NAFDAC) (Zone 7), Wuse General Hospital, and the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation. Just as Garki District has Garki II, Wuse has Wuse II. This is distinct from Wuse Zone 2.


Maitama District

Maitama District is to the north of the city, with the Wuse and Central Districts lying to its southwest and southeast respectively. This area is home to the top bracket sections of society and business, and has the reputation of being very exclusive and very expensive. Interesting buildings include the Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Nigerian Communications Commission Headquarters (NCC), National Universities Commission (NUC), Soil Conservation Complex, and
Independent National Electoral Commission The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was established in 1998 and is the electoral body which oversees elections in Nigeria. History Regulation and administration of elections The administration of democratic elections in Nige ...
(INEC). The British High Commission is located along Aguiyi Ironsi Way, in Maitama. Also, the Maitama District Hospital is another notable building in Maitama. Maitama District is home to many of the European and Asian embassies.


Maitama II District

Maitama II District Cadastral Zone A10 is a new district created by the FCT administration of Muhammed Bello in 2018. Maitama 2 as it is unofficially called was created from Mpape hills, a suburb bothering Bwari and Maitama Districts of the FCT. Maitama II has a high net worth of individuals especially legislators as allottees, which makes it a destination for real estate investors who desire to secure the future today. It is not very clear what the government plans for the district as not much has been said by government agents, but cadastral zoning A indicates the government has good plans for Maitama 2 to correct some errors in Maitama District. It was learned that plots of land were revoked from allottees of Mpape district to create the new Maitama II District, although a compensation plan is underway to relocate the revoked allottees to another district the government intends to create. Fortunately, some developers of the Mpape district who have building plan approval and have started building maintain their plots and allocations and are covered in the Maitama II District layout. It is not clear though if a fresh allocation bearing Maitama II District has been issued to this set of allottees. Notable landmarks of the Maitama 2 district are Jubilation Avenue, Mount Pleasant Haven and Hilltop Estate. The district infrastructure is in top gear as the Federal Government had in the 2018 and 2019 budgets allocated about N1.3b for the engineering design of the district. Villages around the district are leaving in fear of demolition at any time with the information reaching them that government will commence the infrastructure project of Maitama II District.


Asokoro District

Asokoro District, the
doyen Doyen and doyenne (from the French word ''doyen'', ''doyenne'' in the feminine grammatical gender) is the senior ambassador by length of service in a particular country. In the English language, the meaning of doyen (feminine form: doyenne) h ...
of the districts, houses all of the state's lodges/guesthouses. The ECOWAS secretariat is a focal point of interest. Asokoro is to the east of Garki District and south of Central District. It is one of the most exclusive districts of Abuja and houses virtually all of the federal cabinet ministers as well as most of the diplomatic community in the city; in addition, the Presidential Palace (commonly referred to as the Aso Rock) is in Asokoro District. By virtue of this fact, Asokoro is the most secure area of the city.


Jabi District

Jabi is a developed district in phase 2 of Abuja. It is both residential and commercial in nature. The residential parts of the district are peaceful with streets of large gated houses being a prominent feature. The more commercial parts of the area are significantly busier. The district plays host to the Jabi Lake, which sits by the Jabi Lake Mall.


Gwarimpa District

Gwarimpa is the last district in the Abuja Municipal Area Council. It is a drive from the central district and contains the largest single housing estate in Nigeria, the Gwarimpa Housing Estate. The estate was built by the administration of General Sani Abacha and is the largest of its kind in Africa. It provides residence for the majority of the civil servants in federal ministries and government parastatals. The ECOWAS Court has an official quarter for the President and Members of the Court in Gwarimpa.


Durumi District

Durumi District is located southwest of Abuja and is bordered by Garki Districts I and II to the northeast. Its borders are the Oladipo Diya Road to the southwest, the Nnamdi Azikiwe Express Way to the northeast, and Ahmadu Bello Way to the southeast. The American International School of Abuja is located in the Durumi District.


Apo District

It receives one of the best power supplies in the whole of Abuja.


Geography

The elevation is .


Climate

Abuja under Köppen climate classification features a tropical wet and dry climate ( Köppen: ''Aw''). The FCT experiences three weather conditions annually. This includes a warm, humid rainy season and a blistering dry season. In between the two, there is a brief interlude of
harmattan The Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the ...
occasioned by the northeast trade wind, with the main feature of dust haze and cloudless skies. The rainy season begins from April and ends in October, when daytime temperatures reach to and nighttime lows hover around to . In the dry season, daytime temperatures can soar as high as and overnight temperatures can dip to . Even the coolest nights can be followed by daytime temperatures well above . The medium altitude and undulating terrain of the FCT act as a moderating influence on the weather of the territory. The city's inland location causes the diurnal temperature variation to be much larger than coastal cities with similar climates such as Lagos. Rainfall in the FCT reflects the territory's location on the windward side of the Jos Plateau and the zone of rising air masses with the city receiving frequent rainfall during the rainy season from April to October every year. The effects of climate change have been observed in Abuja, according to a study conducted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and Atmospheric Science Group of Imo State University. Between 1993 and 2013, the average maximum temperature trended downward, but the average minimum and mean temperatures trended upwards. There was a downward trend for rainfall in Abuja, based on data collected between 1986 and 2016. The drought occurrence probability for Abuja increased by 15.4% between 1975 and 2014.


Environmental impact reduction


Vegetation

The FCT falls within the
Guinean forest-savanna mosaic Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...
zone of the West African sub-region. Patches of rain forest, however, occur in the Gwagwa plains, especially in the rugged terrain to the southeastern parts of the territory, where a landscape of gullies and rough terrain is found. These areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) form one of the few surviving occurrences of the mature forest vegetation in Nigeria.


Gallery

File:Abuja city gate.jpg, Abuja city gate File:Zuma Rock.jpg, Zuma rock File:Abuja Airport Terminal.jpg, Terminal at the
Abuja International Airport Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is an international airport serving Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It is the main airport serving the Nigerian capital city and was named after Nigeria's first President, Nnamdi Azikiwe ...
File:Nigeria's National Assembly Building with the Mace.jpg, Nigeria's National Assembly Building with the Mace File:MinForeignAffairs.jpg, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs File:Gen Shehu Musa Yar'Adua in Abuja 2.jpg, Shehu Musa Yar'adua Center File:Ceiling of Shehu Musa Yar'Adua Centre in Abuja.jpg, Glass Dome of Shehu Musa Yar'adua Centre in Abuja File:Side view of Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja.jpg, Side view of
Central Bank of Nigeria The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the central bank and apex monetary authority of Nigeria established by the CBN Act of 1958 and commenced operations on 1 July 1959. The major regulatory objectives of the bank as stated in the CBN Act are ...
, Abuja File:Usman Dam, Bwari Abuja.jpg, Usman Dam, Bwari Abuja File:Nigeria Senate Building (Red Chamber).jpg, Nigeria Senate Building (Red Chamber) File:Millennium Park Abuja1.jpg, Millennium Park File:Abuja park Millennium.jpg, Abuja Millennium Park File:Abuja mountains.jpg, alt=, Green hills File:View of Abuja from Katampe hill 01.jpg, alt=, View of Abuja from Katampe hill


Demographics

At the 2006 census, the city of Abuja had a population of 776,298, making it then the eighth most populous city in Nigeria. United Nations figures showed that Abuja grew by 139.7% between 2000 and 2010, making it the fastest growing city in the world. , the city is experiencing an annual growth of at least 35%, retaining its position as the fastest-growing city on the African continent and one of the fastest-growing in the world.


Conurbation

Abuja has witnessed a huge influx of people into the city; the growth has led to the emergence of satellite towns, such as
Karu Urban Area The Karu Urban Area is an urban area in central Nigeria. The urban area is majorly located in the Nigerian state of Nasarawa, but with some parts stretching into the boundaries of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It has an area of 40,000 hect ...
,
Suleja Suleja is a city in Niger State, Nigeria, pop. (2016) local government area, 260,240, just north of Abuja, capital of the Suleja Emirate. It is sometimes confused with the nearby city of Abuja, due to its proximity, and the fact that it was origi ...
, Gwagwalada, Lugbe, Kuje and smaller settlements towards which the planned city is sprawling. The urban agglomeration centred upon Abuja had a population estimated at 3,770,000 in 2022. The metropolitan area of Abuja was estimated in 2016 as six million persons, the country's second-most populous metro area. The city has a large and growing immigrant community consisting mainly of nationals from the ECOWAS sub-region. The city has been undergoing a rapid pace of physical development over the last fifteen years.


Economy and infrastructure


Real estate

Real estate is a major driver of the Abuja economy. This correlates with the considerable growth and investment the city has seen as it has developed. The sources of this investment have been both foreign and local. The real estate sector continues to have a positive impact on the city, as it is a major avenue for employment.


Postal system

Abuja is served by the Nigerian Postal Service which maintains postal codes, street names and zones.


Transportation


Airport

Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport is an international airport serving Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It is the main airport serving the Nigerian capital city and was named after Nigeri ...
is the main airport serving Abuja and the surrounding capital region. It was named after Nigeria's first president,
Nnamdi Azikiwe Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), usually referred to as "Zik", was a Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the first President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966. Considered a driving force behind the n ...
. The airport has international and domestic terminals.


Highways

Abuja is also linked to Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue and Northeast Nigeria by the A234 Federal Highway, which starts from the city as the Goodluck Jonathan expressway, some portions of which are still under construction. A direct highway link to Minna in Niger State is still under construction. The A2 expressway links Abuja with Kaduna in the north and Lokoja in the south. There are also other highway links with the outlying region, such as that linking the suburb of Dutse Alhaji with the Lower Usuma and Gurara Dams, which supply water to the city.


Rail

Abuja is on the route of the planned
Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway The Lagos–Kano Standard Gauge Railway is a -long standard gauge railway under construction in Nigeria. Once complete, the railway will connect the Atlantic Ocean port city of Lagos to Kano, near the border with Niger, passing through the nat ...
, which has been completed between Abuja and Kaduna. Trains for Kaduna depart from the Idu Railway Station in Abuja. There is a car park at the train station for passengers traveling to the city centre. Abuja light rail system serves city's centre, Idu industrial neighbourhood and airport, opened in 2018 and became the first rapid transit in the country and in Western Africa.


Education

Abuja is also known as one of the states in Nigeria that provides quality post-secondary education. It's speedily becoming an attraction for students due to the growing presence of both public and private universities. To educate the population of the
Federal Capital Territory A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...
and face up to the epidemic of COVID-19, Abuja Municipal Area Council created a chatbot that can communicate in all local languages and helps recognize symptoms early on.


Universities

*
African University of Science and Technology The African University of Science and Technology (AUST) is an undergraduate and post-graduate university that is part of a university system concept developed by the Nelson Mandela Institution (NMI). The university caters to over 5,000 students ...
*
Baze University Baze University is a private tertiary institution located in Abuja, Nigeria, it was established in 2011, and offers basic standard education. Many Nigerian Politicians bagged their degrees from same university. History and governance The unive ...
*
National Open University of Nigeria The National Open University of Nigeria is a federal open and distance learning (ODL) institution, the first of its kind in the West African sub-region. It is Nigeria's largest tertiary institution in terms of student number and is popularly ...
*
Nile University of Nigeria Nile University of Nigeria (NILE) is a private multidisciplinary university established in 2009 and located in Abuja, Nigeria. It is a member of the Honoris United Universities Network and accredited by the National Universities Commission. Curre ...
*
University of Abuja The University of Abuja is a tertiary institution in the Nigerian capital, Abuja. It was established in January 1988 (under Decree No. 110 of 1992 as amended) as a dual-mode university with the mandate to run conventional and distance learning ...
*
Veritas University Veritas University is a private university, located in Abuja. It was founded in March 2002 by the Catholic Church in Nigeria. The Institution received its provisional operation licence in 2007 from the National Universities Commission and commence ...
*
Philomath University A philomath () is a lover of learning and studying. The term is from Greek (; "beloved", "loving", as in philosophy or philanthropy) and , (, ; "to learn", as in polymath). Philomathy is similar to, but distinguished from, philosophy in that ' ...


International schools

*
The Centagon International School, Maitama ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
* American International School of Abuja *
Whiteplains British School --> , coordinates_footnotes = , pushpin_map = Nigeria , pushpin_image = , pushpin_mapsize = , pushpin_map_alt = , pushpin_map_caption = ''Location of WBS in Nigeria'' , pushpin_label = , ...
, Jabi *
École Française Marcel Pagnol École Française d'Abuja Marcel Pagnol is a French international school in Kaura District, Abuja, Nigeria.
*
Abraham Lincoln American Academy, Abuja Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Jews ...


Honorary citizens

People awarded the Honorary citizenship of Abuja are:


See also

* Centenary City


References


External links


Official website
{{Authority control 1970s establishments in Nigeria Capitals in Africa Cities in Nigeria Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria) Local Government Areas in the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria) New towns started in the 1970s Planned capitals Planned cities in Nigeria Populated places established in the 1970s Populated places in the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria)