Federal Capital Territory | |
---|---|
Nicknames: | |
Coordinates: 8°50′N7°10′E / 8.833°N 7.167°E | |
Country | Nigeria |
Date created | 3 February 1976 |
Capital | Abuja |
Government | |
• Body | Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) |
• Minister [1] | Nyesom Ezenwo Wike |
• Minister of State | Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure |
• Permanent Secretary | Ajakaiye Babatope |
• National Assembly delegation | Senator: Ireti Kingibe (LP) Representatives: List |
Area | |
• Total | 7,315 km2 (2,824 sq mi) |
Population (2006 Census) 1 | |
• Total | 1,406,239 |
• Estimate (2022 estimate) | 3,067,500 [2] |
• Density | 190/km2 (500/sq mi) |
GDP | |
Time zone | UTC+01:00 (WAT) |
ISO 3166 code | NG-FC |
HDI (2021) | 0.646 [3] medium · 7th of 37 |
Website | www.fcta.gov.ng |
^1 Preliminary results |
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is a federal territory in central Nigeria. Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, is located in this territory. The FCT was formed in 1976 [4] from parts of the states of old Kaduna, Kwara, Niger, and Plateau states, with the bulk of land mass carved out of Niger state. The Federal Capital Territory is within the North Central region of the country. Unlike other states of Nigeria, which are headed by elected Governors, it is administered by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, headed by a minister, who is appointed by the president. [5]
The Federal Capital Territory was created upon the promulgation of decree number 6 of 1976. It came into existence due to a need to find a replacement for the capital city of Lagos, which had become congested and had little space for expansion. The area chosen as the new capital was principally Gwari Land (the home of the tribes referred to as the Gbagyis, their language is referred to as Gwari) with high concentrations of Muslims and Christians and a high degree of neutrality from the dominant ethnic groups. [6]
Decree 6 of 1976, gave the federal government rights over land within the territory. The population density prior to the takeover by the government was sparse with a population of 120,000 residents living in 840 villages and mostly of Gwari heritage. [6] Inhabitants were relocated to nearby towns like Suleja in Niger state, and New Karshi in Nasarawa State on the outskirts of the territory.
The territory is located just north of the confluence of the Niger River and Benue River. It is bordered by the states of Niger to the west and north for 179 km, Kaduna to the northeast for 45 km, Nasarawa to the east and south for 156 km, and Kogi to the southwest for 17 km.
Lying between latitudes 8.25 and 9.20 north of the equator and longitudes 6.45 and 7.39 east of Greenwich Meridian, The Federal Capital Territory is geographically located at the center of the country.
The Federal Capital Territory has a landmass of approximately 7,315 km2, and it is situated within the savannah region with moderate climatic conditions.
Minerals found in the FCT include marble, tin, clay, mica, and tantalite. [7]
The hills of the FCT provide home to many bushbuck, forest Black duiker, bush pig, chimpanzee and red-flanked duiker. Also found in FCT woodland are leopard, buffalo, roan antelope, Western hartebeest, elephant, warthog, grey duiker, dog-faced baboon, patas monkey and green monkey. [8]
Like some northern states in Nigeria, the Federal Capital Territory is relatively mild. The Federal Capital Territory is usually very hot between the months of January and April. [9] The average daily maximum temperature of the city is above 30 °C or 86 °F, with the month of March being the hottest month. The rainy season in the territory lasts between July and October of every year but the coolest month is December, during the harmattan season. [10] During the harmattan, there is high relative humidity, coupled with windy and foggy atmosphere.
The Federal Capital Territory is headed by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, who is appointed by the central government. The Federal Capital Territory Minister appoints members to the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council. [11] [12] [13]
The Federal Capital Territory's ministers have been as follows:
While the Federal Capital Territory minister administers the whole of the Federal Capital Territory, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) specifically manages the construction and infrastructure development of the region. [39]
The territory is currently made up of six local government areas, namely: [40]
Languages of the Federal Capital Territory listed by local government area (LGA) are presented in tabular format as follows: [41]
LGA | Languages |
---|---|
Abaji | Bassa; Dibo, Gupa-Abawa, Ebira, Ganagana |
Municipal | Bassa; Gade; Gbagyi, Gwandara, Nupe, Hausa |
Bwari | Gwandara;Bassa; Ashe; Gbagyi |
Gwagwalada | Bassa; Gbari, Egibra, Hausa |
Kuje | Gade; Gbagyi, Bassa |
Kwali | Bassa, Gwandara; Gbagyi; Ebira, Kami, Abawa, Ganagana, Nupe, Hausa |
Hausa language is widely spoken at the Federal Capital Territory. [41]
Sheikh Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari is the Chief Imam of the Abuja National Mosque (2017).
21% Roman Catholic with 908,744 followers in the Archdiocese of Abuja (1981) with 137 parishes under Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama (2019).
The Anglican Province of Abuja, led by Archbishop Henry Ndukuba, Primate of Nigeria (2020), also Bishop of the Diocese of Abuja (1989), also includes the Diocese of Gwagwalada led by Bishop Moses Bukpe Tabwaye (2015).
The council was elected in the 2022 Federal Capital Territory local elections. [42]
Abuja is the capital and eighth most populous city of Nigeria. Situated in the middle of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is a planned city built mainly in the 1980s based on a master plan by International Planning Associates (IPA), a consortium of three American planning and architecture firms made up of Wallace, Roberts, McHarg & Todd as the lead, Archi systems International, 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.
The Gbari or Gbagyi are an ethnic group found predominantly in Central Nigeria, with an estimated population figure put at 5.8 million, spread in four States, including the FCT, and located in thirty local Government areas, according to the 2006 National Population Census figures. It is also the name of their language. Members of the ethnic group speak two dialects. While speakers of the dialects were loosely called Gwari by both the Hausa Fulani and Europeans during pre-colonial Nigeria they prefer to be known as Gbagyi/Gbari. They live in the Niger, the Federal Capital Territory - Abuja, and Kaduna State. They are also found in Nasarawa central Nigeria Area. Gbagyi/Gbari is one of the most populated ethnic groups in the middle belt and indigenous in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. This means Gbagyi people are the bonafide owners of the Nigerian capital city, Abuja.
Muhammad Gado Nasko was the military governor of Sokoto State, Nigeria between 1978 and 1979.
Aliyu Modibbo Umar 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, a post he held until October 2008.
The Federal Ministry of Education is a part of the Federal Ministries of Nigeria that directs education in Nigeria. It is located at Block 5A, Federal Secretariat Complex, Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area, P.M.B. 146, Garki, Abuja.
Gwagwalada is a local government area in the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is a Nigerian ministry that administers the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It is headed by a Minister, who is appointed by the President, and assisted by a Permanent Secretary, who is a career civil servant.
Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed is Nigerian politician who has served as governor of Bauchi State since 2019. Prior to becoming governor of Bauchi State, he was minister of the Federal Capital Territory from 2010 to 2015, and Senator for Bauchi South from 2007 to 2010. He is a ranking member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
Abuja Rail Mass Transit commonly known as Abuja Light Rail is an abandoned regional rail transport system in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria. It was the first rapid transit system in the country, West Africa, and the second such system in sub-saharan Africa. The first phase of the project connects the city center to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, stopping at the Abuja-Kaduna Railway station in Idu. The Abuja Metro Line was launched on 12 July 2018 and a three-trains-per-day service opened for passengers the following week. Passenger services on the line were suspended in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and had still not resumed as of September 2023.
Philips Tanimu Aduda is a Nigerian politician. He served two terms in the Nigerian House of Representatives between 2003 and 2011, and was elected to the Senate for the Abuja Federal Capital Territory in the 9 April 2011 elections, running on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) ticket.
Ezenwo Nyesom Wike is a Nigerian politician and lawyer who has been serving as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory since 2023. He previously served as the Governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023. He is an Ikwerre man from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, Nigeria. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and was educated at Rivers State University of Science and Technology.
Ramatu Tijani Aliyu is a Nigerian politician from Kogi State, Nigeria. She served as the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory (FCT) appointed by president Muhammadu Buhari on August 21, 2019. Ramatu was previously the National Woman Leader of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) later All Progressive Congress (APC) after the party and other political parties merged.
Mohammed Musa Bello is a Nigerian banker and politician who served as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, from 2015 to 2023.
Federal Capital Territory senatorial district in Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria covers 6 local governments which include: Abuja, Abaji, Kwali, Bwari, Gwagwalada and Kuje. FCT senate district has within its territory Nigera’s seat of power. Ireti Kingibe is the current representative of FCT senatorial district.
Zuba is a community in Gwagwalada Local Government Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. It is located in the border of Abuja central city and shares the same boundary Madalla with Niger State. Other than being the gateway to Abuja, Zuba is also on a primary highway that connects to Kaduna-Kano as well Kogi State, to major cities of the south.
The 2019 Nigerian gubernatorial elections were held for state governors in 31 out of 36 Nigerian states. All but three were held on 2 March 2019 with the election for Rivers State being postponed until 4 April, while the Kogi State and Bayelsa State elections were both held on 16 November. The last regular gubernatorial elections for all states were in 2015.
The 2015 Bauchi State gubernatorial election was the 8th gubernatorial election of Bauchi State. Held on April 11, 2015, the All Progressives Congress nominee Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar won the election, defeating Mohammed Jatau of the People's Democratic Party.
The 2023 Nigerian Senate election in the Federal Capital Territory will be held on 25 February 2023, to elect the single federal Senator from the Federal Capital Territory, with the senatorial district being coterminous with the Territory at-large. The election will coincide with the 2023 presidential election, as well as other elections to the Senate and elections to the House of Representatives; with state elections being held two weeks later.
His Excellency Salem Al-Shamsi is an Emirati diplomat and the current Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He assumed office on June 20, 2023.
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