President Bola Tinubu yesterday reaffirmed infrastructure development as central to his administration’s economic growth strategy, declaring that investments in roads and other critical public assets are designed to unlock economic opportunities, improve connectivity and enhance citizens’ quality of life.

Tinubu spoke in Abuja during the commissioning of the Collector Road C01 and a bridge linking the Body of Benchers, Nile University and Baze University in the Institution and Research District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The newly completed road forms part of the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) ongoing infrastructure renewal programme and is among the projects being inaugurated to commemorate the third anniversary of the Tinubu administration.

Describing the project as another fulfilment of the administration’s agenda, Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said his government has remained committed to translating campaign promises into tangible development outcomes rather than “abandoned dreams and half-hearted efforts.”

“We promised Renewed Hope, and today, as we stand on this newly constructed Collector Road C01, complete with its bridge, we are not just looking at a physical road, we are looking at a promise kept,” he said.

He noted that the extension of the corridor towards RR III and other parts of the capital city, which was recently flagged off, would integrate the Institution and Research District with Abuja’s wider road network, easing traffic congestion and strengthening links between educational institutions, residential communities and commercial centres.

Tinubu recalled that the Body of Benchers had appealed to the federal government during the 2025 Call to Bar ceremony over the poor access road to its complex, and the persistent traffic challenges affecting the district.

According to him, the administration responded swiftly by approving the project under emergency procurement to ensure that legal professionals, students and residents no longer endured the hardship caused by inadequate infrastructure.

The president noted that the construction also generated hundreds of direct and indirect jobs for young Nigerians, stressing that infrastructure investment remains one of the most effective tools for stimulating economic growth.

“When you build roads, you open up districts. When you open up districts, you invite investment. And when investment comes, Nigeria grows,” he stated.

He further urged residents, students and management of the Body of Benchers, Nile University and Baze University to safeguard the infrastructure, noting that it represents the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for learning, innovation and national development.

Earlier, theFCT Minister, Nyesome Wike, said the completion of the road underscored the administration’s resolve to ensure balanced infrastructure development across all districts of the nation’s capital.

He noted that the government had continued to extend development to both the city centre and satellite towns, insisting that no part of the FCT would be neglected under the current administration.

He also thanked the management of the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) for delivering the project, and the president for his continued support for the FCT’s ambitious infrastructure agenda.