OUTRAGE has continued to trail the conversion of a plot of land originally designated for a public health facility in Abuja’s Wuye District into a private residential estate under the administration of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike.
In April, the Federal Capital Territory Administration converted a large parcel of land originally designated for public use and allocated it to a private developer, Full Moon Estate Developers Ltd, for a residential project.
The land, identified as Plot 546, Cadastral Zone B03, Wuye District, Abuja, covers 3.171 hectares, located directly opposite the Wuye Ultra-Modern Market and adjacent to the Wuye Police Station. Reports show that the entire site has been fenced with barbed wire, while construction activities by the developer are already underway.
According to Daily Trust, information displayed on the project signboard lists the development as a “Residential Development” on “Plot No. 546 CAD Zone B03 Wuye. A developer, Full Moon Estate Developers Ltd is handling the project, with file number FCDA/DC/BP/RSD/PHSII/31854. Approval date for the project was March 5, 2026, and the site engineer is listed as Ose Peter Afeanaje.
Construction has been ongoing at the site, with trucks transporting building materials and heavy equipment into the premises. A review of the Abuja Master Plan for Wuye District by the newspaper indicates that Plot 546 was originally designated for the construction of a health facility, consistent with provisions made for similar districts across the FCT.
Critics say the conversion of the land from public healthcare use to private residential development undermines the integrity of the capital city’s planning and raises broader concerns over the increasing alteration of lands originally reserved for public infrastructure.
A 2025 report shows that healthcare delivery has remained a huge challenge in the nation’s capital as public hospitals, including the National Hospital Abuja and the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, are frequently overwhelmed, forcing some patients to wait in hallways, sit on floors, or be referred elsewhere because of a lack of available bed space.
The crisis had become so severe that the House of Representatives recently called on the Federal Government and the FCT Administration to declare a state of emergency in Abuja’s health sector.
Lawmakers warned that hospitals in the city are “overwhelmed and understaffed,” citing inadequate infrastructure, shortages of doctors and nurses, and insufficient medical equipment. They also noted that Abuja’s population has grown significantly over the last two decades without a corresponding expansion in public healthcare facilities.
Experts said that instead of establishing more healthcare facilities to reduce pressure on existing hospitals and improve emergency response capacity across the capital city, the minister and his team at the FCTA are focused on allocating land to private developer.
Urban development stakeholders have also raised concerns over what they describe as growing encroachment on lands earmarked for public utilities, including healthcare, green areas, drainage systems, and recreational facilities.
Town planners and architects familiar with the Abuja Master Plan argue that plots designated for hospitals are strategically selected based on population projections, accessibility, and emergency response considerations, warning that replacing such infrastructure with residential housing could have long-term consequences for residents.
The controversy has further intensified scrutiny of the Wike administration’s land allocation policies, with critics accusing the FCT Administration of prioritising commercial interests over public welfare.
Analysts warn that the ease with which a plot reserved for public healthcare could be converted into a private estate raises concerns about the security of other lands designated for schools, parks, and essential infrastructure within the capital city.
The Abuja Master Plan, conceived to guide orderly urban development in the nation’s capital, has long been regarded as a foundational framework intended to protect Abuja from the chaotic expansion and infrastructural pressures experienced in other major Nigerian cities.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.