One of the emerging housing estates within the Centenary city
By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja –
Nigeria’s ambitious smart city project, known as Abuja Centenary City, is gradually becoming a reality with the springing up of a network of roads and housing estates as well a public declaration of total support by the host communities.
This is coming almost 10 years after the project, conceived in 2014 by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to mark the nation’s Centenary Anniversary celebration became moribund due to political and other factors.
This explained the excitement expressed by concerned stakeholders on August 15, 2025 when, in a landmark move for Abuja’s rising profile, Centenary City management officially engaged Messers Julius Berger Nigeria Plc (Julius Berger) for the provision of primary infrastructure to the Centenary City (Lot 1 which is the Plot Access Road of 4.3 km) and Messers Dar Al-Handasah Consultants (DAR) to execute the Detailed Engineering Design of the entire project.
On Tuesday, the management of the Centenary City Plc, organized an event in Abuja to update stakeholder and showcase the progress so far, of the first road and the support CCPLC is receiving from the communities who have supported rye company all these years.
According to the Managing Director of the Centenary City Plc, Dr. Odenigwe Ike Michaels Jr., Tuesday’s program was to showcase “the dramatic progress in this long-awaited amazing project with the first road project and the support we are receiving from the communities who have supported us all these years.”
“We also want Nigerians to see this project through the eyes of the people bringing it to life,” he added.
Reminding guests at the ceremony that Centenary City was conceptualized as the foremost Abuja Urban Renewable Project, Odeigwwa said, “Centenary City is not just a futuristic, sustainability-focused, and pedestrian-centric master planned City— it is the work of thousands of Nigerians building a new economic future. Every road we pave, every foundation we set, and every job we create is a step toward a livable, safe, modern community for families, professionals, and businesses. Centenary City presents a great opportunity to create value and raise Abuja’s profile – to encourage international investment in Abuja.
“The project is designed to work in harmony with nature. The city is conceptualized as a truly multifunctional development that offers a complete cosmopolitan lifestyle to its residents, as well as serves as a tourism hub for the wider community. We are delighted to acknowledge the visionary leadership of His Excellency, Barr. Nyesom Wike, the Hon. Minister of FCT who in his wisdom has encouraged masterly and sustainable development in FCT.”
“Centenary City presents a great opportunity to create value and raise Abuja’s profile – to encourage international investment in Abuja. The project is designed to work in harmony with nature.
“The city is conceptualized as a truly multifunctional development that offers a complete cosmopolitan lifestyle to its residents, as well as serves as a tourism hub for the wider community”, he stated.
He also acknowledged the support of Toge community, under the guidance of the revered Emir of Jiwa, HRM Dr. Idris Musa, MFR, on whose original land the project is taking off.
In his remarks at the occasion, Prof Okey Ikechukwu, a communications consultant who has been following the project right from its inception, “the award of 4.3km of road to Julius Berger FZE marked the activation of the Centenary City infrastructure development proposed to celebrate 100 years of the formation of Nigeria; embodying the principles of unity and integration of the 36 States and the FCT that comprise the country.
According to Prof Ikechukwu, “Centenary City is sustainability-focused and pedestrian-centric masterplaned City. It is the work of thousands of Nigerians building a new economic future. Every paced road road, every foundation, and every job created by the project is a step toward a livable, safe, modern community for families, professionals, and businesses.”
He added that the Centenary City PLC also wants Nigerians to see its project through the eyes of the people bringing it to life, stressing that the focus of the narrative was “human impact”, not projections and costing.
Ikechukwu, who is also the Executive Director of Development Spec Academy Abuja, affirmed that the communities of the original landowners were in harmony with the developers as all compensations had been made.
He also acknowledged that developers were extending employment opportunities to the indigenes as well as scholarships in schools.
Also speaking, HRM Dr. Musa expressed joy that the project has actually commenced, observing that when the land was abandoned for several years, the original land owners were confused on what to do.
Left-Right: Representative of Julius Berger Nigeria, Johnny Kouchan,Managing Director, Centenary City Plc, Dr. Odenigwe Ike Michaels, Emir of Giwa, HRM Idris Musa, and Prof. Okey Ikechukwu, at the event at Centenary City Abuja. Photo credit: Optimum Times, 21/04/2026.
According the traditional ruler, ”When the lands were acquired for the project and abandoned, we were confused. We could not go the land or farm on it and kept on wondering.”
On their part, Julius Berger Nigeria, represented by Engr. Johnny Kouchan, noted that the relationship with the Centenary City Plc is built on a strong collaboration aimed at delivering world-class infrastructure within Nigeria’s flagship smart city development.
He said so far, 35 percent of the contract had been completed while it is expected that the entire contract will be completed and commissioned by April 1st, 2027.
