Abuja Centenary City Project Relaunches with N750 Billion Infrastructure Plan
By Patience Ikpeme
The management of Centenary City Free Zone Enterprises has formally engaged Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to resume work on the long-stalled Centenary City project.
After being in limbo for almost a decade, the announcement signals the resumption of work on one of Nigeria’s most ambitious urban development initiatives.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Managing Director of Centenary City Free Zone Enterprises, Dr. Odenigwe Ike Michaels Jr., said Julius Berger has been contracted to handle the Phase 1 Primary Infrastructure, valued at N750 billion.
He explained that the infrastructure works will be carried out in lots, with Lot 1 covering a 4.3-kilometer Plot Access Road and secondary infrastructure for residential areas, including The Grove Residences, The Safari Park Residences, and The Ridge Villas.
He added that Messers Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (DAR), the international firm that coordinated the city’s original master plan, has been retained to execute the detailed engineering design of the entire project.
Dr. Michaels described the Centenary City as a transformative initiative conceived as Abuja’s foremost urban renewal project. “After a pause in the development and construction, the project is now back on track with the promise to redefine sub-Saharan Africa’s skyline and enhance Nigeria’s global standing in urban development,” he said. He added that the project presents a great opportunity to create value and raise Abuja’s profile, and to encourage international investment.
According to Dr. Michaels, the city’s districts and communities are designed to blend with the natural landscape, combining a striking downtown skyline with peaceful suburban living. He said the master plan envisions a multifunctional development that will offer a complete cosmopolitan lifestyle and serve as a tourism hub. Key components of the project will include five-star hotels, luxury apartments, an International Commerce Centre, the Centenary International Convention Center, and the Mall of Africa. Other features include a championship golf course and polo estate, Nigeria Park, a Safari Park, an Industrial Park, an African Arts Museum, and modern healthcare and educational facilities.
The management of Centenary City Free Zone Enterprises acknowledged the support of government officials who have been instrumental in the project’s revival. They commended the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, for encouraging sustainable development in Abuja, and the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, for his support in advancing modern urban renewal efforts.
Dr. Michaels said the management is committed to working with their partners to deliver a world-class project. “We are proud of our long-standing partnership with Julius Berger and DAR and are committed to working with their expert teams to begin and finalize the primary infrastructure of Centenary Economic City Free Zone in line with the Board of Directors’ vision to provide state-of-the-art infrastructure as well as seamless, safe, and sustainable smart city solutions,” he said.
