infrastructure: Inside Abuja terminals without buses
In July 2024, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration, led by Nyesom Wike, launched the construction of three modern bus terminals, a first for the country’s capital. The project plan outlined three terminals in the first phase: one in the Kugbo area, the second in Mabushi district and the third in the Central Business District. […]
In July 2024, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration, led by Nyesom Wike, launched the construction of three modern bus terminals, a first for the country’s capital.
The project plan outlined three terminals in the first phase: one in the Kugbo area, the second in Mabushi district and the third in the Central Business District.
While the Kugbo and Mabushi terminals were completed within a year and commissioned in June, the one in the Central Business District has been delayed due to location issues and is now scheduled for completion at the end of the year.
However, residents have begun to express concern. Since the multi-million naira two terminals were completed and commissioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in June, they have remained locked and unused, with no buses or taxis in operation.
According to the minister, the terminals were conceived to enhance the safety of commuters and passengers, while also providing recreational facilities, including a built-in cinema.
Wike emphasized that the terminals would integrate and improve FCT’s transportation system.
“While we have continued to expand our road structure, without linking it with the various bus terminals we won’t be able to achieve our goals. What we are trying to do is integrate and improve our transport system. It is going to cut all these so-called one-chance crimes that are always committed,” the minister said.
He explained that the project’s primary purpose was to enhance security by reducing the number of unauthorised vehicles on the road.
“We are trying to eliminate the ‘one-chance’ syndrome where commuters are vulnerable to attacks by unknown drivers. With this terminal, commuters will know the drivers and the vehicles they are boarding, making their journeys safer,” he added.
Wike also addressed the issue of road congestion and indiscriminate parking, which have long plagued the city, saying, “These terminals will provide a safe and organised space for vehicles to park, reducing congestion on the roads.”
Lamenting the absence of such infrastructure in the past he said, “It is unfortunate that a city like Abuja has never had a bus terminal. But we thank God that today, our prayers have been answered.”
The FCT Administration said the terminals would operate 24 hours a day, offering commuters a safe and comfortable space to wait. Our correspondent, who has been monitoring the project’s development, reports that the terminals include amenities such as food courts, restrooms and entertainment facilities.
Both commissioned terminals feature fully air-conditioned sections where passengers can wait comfortably. These sections also include an in-built cinema and wi-fi access. Additionally, there are dedicated areas for ticket collection and departure.
However, despite these impressive features, residents are concerned that months after their commissioning, the terminals remain empty and their transportation struggles continue.
What good are terminals without buses? – Residents
Abuja’s bus terminals were built to improve urban transportation, but many have remained inactive since their completion.
More than a month after the commissioning, residents are raising concerns about the absence of operational buses. With no routes, schedules or staff, many are questioning the usefulness of these terminals.
A visit to the Kugbo and Mabushi terminals confirms that while the buildings are modern and well built, they are largely empty.
These terminals, funded with public resources, have become quiet spaces with no signs of actual transport activity.
Residents say they serve more as symbolic structures than practical solutions to Abuja’s growing transport needs.
“It is not enough to cut ribbons, we need buses on the roads. We need subsidies for low-income earners. We need trained staff, proper timetables and real-time updates. If you say you are developing the city, let the people feel it,” Mr Tunde Balogun, a business owner in Wuse said.
Commuters who travel daily from satellite towns to the city centre are feeling the pressure.
Aisha Lawal, a civil servant who lives in Gwarimpa said, “These terminals are just there, beautiful but empty. No buses, no activity, no direction. What are we celebrating?”
Andrew Chukwuma, a commercial driver on the Berger-Jabi route expressed similar frustration, saying, “The government is building terminals but where are the buses? We have seen Kugbo and Mabushi terminals locked up since the commissioning in June. They say it is for the public, but there is nothing there for us. Passengers are left to suffer, and we drivers have no system to work with.”
Residents of areas such as Kubwa, Kuje, Lugbe, Karu and Nyanya continue to endure long wait times, packed vehicles and inconsistent pricing.
Blessing Oche, a civil servant commuting from Lugbe said, “I wait for hours and still end up in overcrowded buses. Because there are no alternatives, drivers charge whatever they like. Building terminals is not enough, government must provide buses too.”
Commuters have also raised concerns about safety.
A banker who chose to remain anonymous shared a recent encounter with a robbery gang thus: “They took everything – my phone, laptop and bag. That’s why we need a safe, government-supported transport system.”
Mrs Halima Hashir, who commutes from Karu-Nyanya daily, said her transport expenses stood at N5,500 a day.
“How much is my salary? Every morning I pass the Kugbo terminal and it is always shut. These terminals aren’t helping anyone. They are just empty buildings while we struggle,” she lamented.
With the absence of a working transport system, many residents are left with risky and unregulated options.
Old minibuses, commercial tricycles and random private cars have taken over the roads, exposing commuters to unsafe travel conditions.
Mr Ejike Hygenus, a retired schoolteacher in Kuje, recalled a better time: “During the El-Rufai era we had green and long buses often referred to as El-Rufai buses linking the suburbs to the city. They were cheap, regular and safe. Now, there’s nothing like that – only the buildings called terminals,” he said.
Experts weigh in on way forward
The former general manager of the Abuja Urban Mass Transit, Mr Najeeb Mahmoud Abdul Salam, said the current situation called for urgent reform.
He emphasized the need for public-private partnership, donor investment, improved regulation and a return to strategic planning under the national transport policy.
He also called for enhanced surveillance and management of the terminals to ensure safe and reliable service delivery.
A public policy analyst, Dr Adetokunbo Margret, warned that infrastructure without effective use would become a wasted investment.
“What we need now is not more terminals but buses on the roads, clear routes, trained drivers and a regulatory system that works.
“The private sector can operate it, but the government must set and enforce the rules,” she advised.
A mobility consultant, Mrs Ifeoma Onuche, also stressed the need for planning and collaboration, saying, “These terminals should not just be ceremonial projects. Where is the coordination with private transport operators? Where is the transport strategy that guides how these structures should be used?”
Many residents have continued to face daily hardship on the roads. Traders, students and workers struggle with inflated fares, unreliable transportation and growing safety concerns.
Chukwuemeka Eze, a trader at Nyanya market, put it simply: “It is like building hospitals without doctors. We need buses now, not next year.”
Abdullahi Yusuf, a resident of Bwari noted, “As fuel prices remain high and ride-hailing services are too expensive for most residents, informal transport systems have filled the gap but not without serious drawbacks. Breakdowns, poor safety records and frequent harassment have become part of daily commuting.”
Residents are calling for urgent intervention, including the immediate deployment of buses along high-demand routes, private sector participation in terminal management, digital fare collection systems and tighter regulation. They argue that transportation must be seen as a core public service, not just a photo opportunity.
According to Mathew Ijaodola, a resident of Kubwa, until concrete steps are taken, Abuja’s terminals may continue to be well built but underused structures while the city’s residents remain stuck, waiting not just for buses but for a system that truly moves them.
FCTA official gives reason for delay
An official from the FCT Transport Secretariat who pleaded for anonymity attributed the delay to the process of concessioning the terminals to private firms.
The official said the administration had decided that the terminals should not be run by the transport secretariat but by a private entity.
He noted that the administration was in the process of engaging a firm to operate the terminals and assured that when the process is complete, residents would start to feel the impact.
The minister had previously insisted that the terminals would not be run by the FCT Transport Secretariat.
“We will concession it to private operators who will run it efficiently,” the minister had said during the commissioning in June.