Infrastructure is more than concrete and steel – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says that infrastructure is more than just concrete and steel, but a form of “political education in physical form.”

Wike stated this in Abuja on Tuesday during a lecture titled, “The Impact of Political Leadership on Infrastructural Development in Nigeria: Between Dividends of Democracy and Good Governance.”

He delivered the lecture at the 2026 Annual Distinguished Personality Lecture Series, organized by the Faculty of Social Sciences, Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja.

The Minister noted that where democracy delivers infrastructure, it earns legitimacy; however, where it fails, it breeds cynicism.

“Infrastructure is not simply roads and bridges; it is the circuitry of nationhood. It connects destinies, unlocks human potential, and provides the physical and digital foundations upon which national transformation rests,” Wike said.

He continued: “No nation becomes great without robust infrastructure. A truly functional Nigeria is one where a child in rural Zamfara enjoys the same quality of education, healthcare, and opportunity as one in the FCT.

“Where efficient transport, reliable power, and digital innovation are not privileges but everyday realities. Infrastructure, in this sense, is the architecture of equality; it delivers dignity, inclusion, productivity, and hope.” (NAN)

The Minister maintained that infrastructure remains the “most honest measure of governance,” adding that it is the clearest language through which governments reveal their priorities, values, and seriousness of purpose.

“Roads point to what truly matters; urban planning reflects what is valued; public transportation signals inclusiveness; housing policy exposes whether leadership understands dignity as a public good. Infrastructure is, therefore, not merely physical; it is social, economic, and moral,” he concluded. (NAN)

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