A coalition of residents, informal economy workers and civil society organisations has staged a peaceful demonstration at Jabi Lake Recreational Park in Abuja, calling on the Federal Capital Territory Administration to immediately suspend the ongoing redevelopment of Jabi Lake Park.

It also demanded the publication of all agreements guiding the project and compensation for hundreds of displaced informal workers.

The protest was led by Accountability Lab Nigeria in collaboration with the Federation of Informal Workers Organization of Nigeria (FIWON) and the Solidarity Center.

The coalition said it has submitted a formal petition to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Woke and filed a Freedom of Information request seeking the full records of the redevelopment.

Speaking on behalf of the coalition, at a protest at Jabi Lake on Tuesday, Country Director of Accountability Lab Nigeria, Friday Odeh, said the group was not opposed to development but insisted it must be transparent and inclusive.

He alleged that the FCTA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with private firms in February 2026 to transform the waterfront into a luxury tourism destination, but has yet to make the agreement public.

According to the coalition, Jabi Lake Park has served as a public recreational space under the Abuja Master Plan since 2007 and remains one of the few free open spaces available to residents.

He claimed that demolitions and evictions carried out as part of the redevelopment have displaced street vendors, traders, artisans, transport workers and waste pickers, with many reportedly receiving little or no formal notice and no compensation.

The coalition further alleged that previous Freedom of Information requests seeking land records were either denied or inadequately answered, prompting legal action to compel disclosure.

Odeh also expressed concern that no Environmental Impact Assessment has been made public despite reports that the project includes residential towers and commercial developments.

The group argued that the redevelopment raises serious concerns about transparency, livelihoods and public access, warning that one of Abuja’s last free public spaces risks being transformed into an exclusive destination accessible mainly to the wealthy.

It urged the FCTA to suspend construction, publish the Memorandum of Understanding and all land titles relating to the project, release an independent Environmental Impact Assessment, conduct meaningful public consultations, compensate and resettle displaced workers, and provide written guarantees that the park will remain free or affordable for public use.

“This is public land that belongs to ordinary people. We are not against development. We are against doing it in secret and at the expense of the poor and informal workers,” he said.

The protest followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in February 2026 between the FCTA, under the leadership of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Akida Hills Ltd. as well as Suburban Broadband Limited, for the redevelopment of Jabi Lake Park as part of the administration’s urban renewal agenda.

According to the FCTA, the project was designed to transform the park into a world-class leisure and tourism destination capable of attracting investment, stimulating tourism and generating employment opportunities.

However, the redevelopment has drawn criticism from civil society groups, environmental advocates and informal workers, who have questioned the transparency of the concession arrangement, the lack of public engagement and the implications for hundreds of traders and small-scale business owners who depend on the park for their livelihoods.

Also speaking, Blessing Yusuf of the Federation of Informal Workers’ Organisation of Nigeria (FIWON) demanded an immediate suspension of all demolition, fencing and construction activities at Jabi Lake Recreational Park until consultations are held with affected stakeholders.

She insisted that work on the project should not continue without public consultation, legal scrutiny and full transparency regarding the development.

Yusuf also called for the publication of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the developers, the conduct of an independent Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) before any further construction, assurances that the park would remain affordable and accessible to the public, and compensation for traders and small business owners whose livelihoods have been affected.

According to her, any redevelopment of the park must protect public access while providing adequate support for displaced traders and other informal workers.

She described the Jabi Lake Recreational Park, inaugurated in 2007 under the Abuja Master Plan, as one of the Federal Capital Territory’s few public recreational spaces. She noted that for nearly two decades, the park has served as a major leisure destination for residents and visitors, while sustaining the livelihoods of hundreds of traders, informal workers, fitness enthusiasts and tourism-related businesses.