Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has defended the controversial N39 billion spent on renovating the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, revealing that the investment is already paying off handsomely.

Speaking during a live media chat in Abuja on Thursday, Wike disclosed that the newly refurbished centre has generated a remarkable N650 million within just three weeks of opening. This is a sharp contrast to the meagre N50 million annual revenue the administration previously made from the facility before the facelift.

“People have criticised the N39 billion project, but today, we are seeing the results. In just three weeks, we’ve made N650 million — that’s far beyond what we earned in a whole year before the renovation,” Wike said.

The minister also addressed swirling allegations that he allocated 41 plots of land to his two sons, dismissing the claims as baseless and politically motivated by what he described as a “failed politician from Adamawa State.”

On the situation back home, Wike declared that peace has returned to Rivers State following his reconciliation with the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara. According to him, certain individuals had turned the political crisis in Rivers into their personal “oil well,” profiting from the discord.

“Now that peace is here, they’re unhappy. But I owe nobody an explanation for the terms of the truce,” he added.

As the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre continues to attract events and revenue, Wike believes the investment is a clear testament to the value of strategic infrastructure development — not just for Abuja, but for Nigeria’s image on the global stage.\