* Tinubu
By Pathfinder Reporter
Wednesday June 11, 2025
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed that all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) must pay to use the newly renovated Abuja International Conference Centre (ICC), which has now been renamed in his honor.
The directive, issued during the official reopening of the facility on Tuesday, June 10, raises questions about accessibility, public resource management, and executive self-aggrandizement.
In a statement on Tuesday, 10 June 2025, signed by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information & Strategy, President Tinubu reopened the ICC and endorsed a new payment policy for public institutions. The event also marked the renaming of the facility—originally opened in 1991—as the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.
The president announced in Abuja, emphasizing that government bodies must now pay to use the center, a move he said is crucial to ensuring its maintenance and long-term sustainability.
Recounting his prior visit to the ICC during the 2024 ECOWAS Parliament session, Tinubu described the venue as unfit for purpose.
“When I attended the ECOWAS Parliament conference, the environment was dirty, disorganized, and uninhabitable. I turned to Mr. Wike and said, ‘This Conference Centre does not reflect who we are. Have we sunk this low?’ He replied, ‘No, bear with us. We will do whatever we can to transform the place.’ Today, I am very happy,” President Tinubu said.
He added that the renovated facility reflects Nigeria’s broader ambition to serve as a regional hub for diplomacy, trade, and global partnerships.
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike confirmed that no exemptions will be allowed, even for government use.
“Whether you are a ministry or an agency, you must pay something to use this facility. That is the only way we can sustain it. No such thing as ‘my brother’ or ‘my sister’ wants to use it for a wedding. If you want to use a beautiful place like this, you must pay something,” Wike stated.
The directive applies to all MDAs, effectively ending the long-standing practice of internal government access to public venues at no cost.
Wike commended the president for initiating the renovation after observing the center’s poor state last year. He noted the transformation was completed in just eight months, following a direct order from Tinubu.
“Mr. President, this transformation would not have been possible without your leadership. Many presidents have come here, but none said this was not what Nigeria needed because they lacked your courage and vision,” Wike said.
President Tinubu praised Julius Berger Nigeria PLC, the original contractor, for the quality of the renovation. He also lauded Wike for his “vision and execution,” urging him to ignore critics.
“Do not pay attention to the busybodies and bystanders. Whatever they say, continue your good work. You are a transformational leader with foresight, vision, and determination,” the President said.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio endorsed the renaming and applauded the Tinubu administration for its “collaborative spirit.” He revealed that halls inside the center have now been named after himself, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria—three of the most powerful individuals in the country.
While the renovation is part of broader activities marking Tinubu’s second year in office, including several capital projects under the FCT Administration, the decision to rename a major national facility after a sitting president has already raised public debate.
The center’s transformation falls under the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which includes promises to overhaul infrastructure in transport, healthcare, education, and energy. However, the optics of self-naming and monetizing access to a public resource may test the administration’s narrative on inclusive development.
“The International Conference Centre is part of our country’s larger vision to become a hub for regional diplomacy, continental trade discussions, global partnerships, and other thoughtful, well-outlined goals that reflect our ‘Nigeria First’ principle,” Tinubu said.
FTN
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