A former banker, Etim Etim, has raised concerns over the ₦39 billion spent on the renovation of the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja, calling for increased transparency in government spending on public infrastructure.
Etim questioned the justification for the massive cost, especially when the original structure was built for less than ₦300 million in 1991.
“Even if you discount the inflation and all the devaluations, you cannot account for ₦39 billion,” Etim said, criticizing what he described as a growing culture of opacity in federal projects.
His comments come amid continued scrutiny of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s two-year performance. Etim cited a broader decline in governance quality, accusing the government of authoritarian tendencies and a lack of adherence to the rule of law.
The renovated ICC was commissioned on Tuesday and renamed Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre. The announcement sparked backlash from several Nigerians who described the renovation cost as excessive and misaligned with the country’s economic realities.
In response, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, defended the expenditure, saying the centre underwent a complete overhaul.
“The only thing in that International Conference Centre that was not changed was the block work,” Wike said on Friday while commissioning another infrastructure project in Abuja.
He argued that a country regarded as the “Giant of Africa” must also reflect that status in its infrastructure.
Wike also dismissed criticisms over naming the centre after Tinubu instead of former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, under whose administration the ICC was originally built.
“Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was not built by Azikiwe. Moshood Abiola Stadium was not built by Abiola,” he said, insisting the renaming was justified.
The debate over the ICC’s renovation cost has reignited calls for tighter scrutiny and accountability in public sector projects, especially amid ongoing economic hardship for millions of Nigerians.
