Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has declared open the 2026 Abuja Business and Investment Expo (ABIE 3.0), calling on investors, policymakers and development partners to translate discussions into concrete investments that will accelerate economic growth and position Abuja as a leading investment destination in Africa.

Represented by the Minister of State for the FCT, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, at the opening ceremony held on Wednesday at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, Wike said the annual expo should serve as a catalyst for strategic partnerships, investment commitments and measurable economic outcomes rather than remain a ceremonial gathering.

He commended the Group Managing Director of Abuja Investments Company Limited (AICL), Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, and the management of the company for sustaining a platform that promotes investment opportunities in the nation’s capital.

According to the minister, AICL, as the investment promotion agency of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), occupies a strategic position in identifying viable investment opportunities, structuring commercially sustainable projects and facilitating partnerships that will contribute to the long-term economic development of the FCT.

Speaking on the theme of the expo, “Building Nigeria’s Capital: Investment as a Catalyst for Economic Growth,” Wike described it as timely and reflective of the country’s development aspirations.

He said building a globally competitive capital city requires sustained investment in infrastructure, institutions, human capital and public services, as well as stronger collaboration between government and the private sector.

“Abuja Business and Investment Expo 3.0 must not be regarded as another ceremonial gathering. It must serve as a platform for meaningful discussions, credible partnerships, investment commitments and measurable economic outcomes,” he said.

The minister said the ongoing transformation of the Federal Capital Territory is a direct outcome of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises infrastructure development, improved public service delivery and an enabling environment for businesses and investors.

According to him, since assuming office, the FCT Administration has completed several abandoned infrastructure projects, commissioned major road networks, and embarked on the construction of new arterial roads, collector roads, bridges and interchanges to improve connectivity across the capital city.

He added that the administration is also extending development to satellite towns while opening up new districts for residential, commercial and industrial investments.

“The President has provided the political will and the necessary support for the implementation of this mandate. Today, the results are visible across the Federal Capital Territory. We have completed and commissioned road projects that had been abandoned for several years, while new infrastructure is creating fresh opportunities for businesses and investors,” he stated.

Earlier, the Group Managing Director of AICL, Ambassador Maureen Tamuno, said Abuja has witnessed remarkable progress over the past three years through significant investments in infrastructure, urban renewal and public services under the leadership of the FCT Administration.

She noted that the improvements have made the city more connected, competitive and increasingly attractive to local and international investors.

Tamuno described the Federal Capital Territory’s emergence as fourth in the 2025 Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Subnational Ease of Doing Business ranking as evidence that reforms aimed at improving the investment climate are yielding positive results.

While expressing satisfaction with the achievement, she stressed that more work remains to be done to unlock the capital city’s full investment potential.

According to her, this year’s edition of the expo was deliberately designed to move beyond policy conversations and attract bankable investments capable of driving sustainable economic growth.

“This year’s edition is about moving from conversations to concrete action,” she said, adding that the expo has evolved beyond an annual event into a meeting point for innovative ideas, strategic collaborations and investment opportunities that promote inclusive economic development.

She explained that participants would engage in investment forums, exhibitions, business-to-business meetings and policy dialogues aimed at strengthening investor confidence and unlocking opportunities in key sectors of the economy, including real estate, infrastructure, technology, renewable energy, solid minerals, sports and the creative economy.

“Our expectation is that when this expo comes to an end, it will have opened new doors, created meaningful partnerships and laid the foundation for investments that will benefit both Abuja and Nigeria for many years to come,” she said.

Delivering the keynote address, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama, observed that Abuja has experienced unprecedented infrastructure development since 2023 under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the stewardship of the FCT Minister.

He said the pace of infrastructure delivery has significantly changed the development narrative of the nation’s capital, enhanced investor confidence and strengthened Abuja’s position as one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing investment destinations.

The three-day Abuja Business and Investment Expo brings together government officials, business leaders, investors, financial institutions, development partners and entrepreneurs to explore investment opportunities and forge partnerships aimed at driving sustainable economic growth and development in the Federal Capital Territory and across Nigeria.

No fewer than three persons have been confirmed dead after a two-storey building reportedly sank into the ground on Baale Road in the Ajuwon area of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

According to the he South-West Zonal Director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Saheed Akiode, rescue operation was ongoing.

He said the entire structure would have to be brought down completely to enable rescue workers access everything beneath the collapsed building. He appealed to residents to remain calm, assuring them that emergency responders were doing everything necessary to manage the situation.

“The operation is still ongoing and we need to ensure that the building is brought down to ground level so that we can see what is underneath. The situation is calm, and we urge everyone in the area to remain peaceful. As of yesterday, 12 persons were rescued alive, while three bodies were recovered from the rubble,” Akiode said.

He added that NEMA immediately activated all relevant emergency response agencies upon receiving information about the incident, noting that personnel had been on the ground since Monday carrying out rescue and recovery operations.

The Chairman of Ifo Local Government, Kusimo Idris, also confirmed that 12 occupants were rescued from the building, including two newborn babies who are less than two months old.

Eyewitnesses and emergency responders said the tragic incident occurred at about 2 p.m. on Monday following a heavy downpour and shortly after a thunderstorm.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that about 15 people were inside the building when the incident occurred.

The collapse is said to have brought down two floors of the structure, leaving only the topmost floor partially intact.

1. The Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday arrested Adeniyi Adeyemi, the self-styled Director-General of the alleged Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council, following a bench warrant issued by a Federal High Court in Abuja, after he failed to appear for his arraignment on an eight-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, forgery and impersonation.

Justice Mohammed Umar ordered Adeyemi’s arrest after granting an oral application by the prosecution, led by Wisdom Madaki, following the defendant’s absence when the case was called.

2. President Bola Tinubu has asked the House of Representatives to amend the 1999 Constitution to pave the way for the establishment of state police services, describing the proposal as a critical step towards reorganising Nigeria’s security architecture to tackle the country’s growing security challenges. This was contained in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

3. A Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Muhammad Sani to 20 years’ imprisonment for concealing information about a notorious bandit, Danranmi, an offence that enabled the suspect to evade arrest. In a judgment on Monday, Justice Emeka Nwite convicted Sani on counts one and two of the charge brought by the Department of State Services, DSS.

4. The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it will recognise only the candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress, confirming that the faction has already nominated candidates for 471 elective positions ahead of the 2027 general election. INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, told The PUNCH that the commission granted the Mark-led faction access to its nomination portal, following the Supreme Court judgment affirming its leadership, adding that the rival faction had no legal basis to submit candidates

5. Lagos Police Command has commenced an intensive manhunt for yet-to-be-identified gunmen who shot dead the Organising Secretary of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Toba Ajiboye, popularly called Toba Ijaya, along the Ikorodu road in Lagos. According to information, the NURTW scribe was pronounced dead by medical experts at the St. Nichola Hospital in Lagos Island Local Government where he was rushed to after the attack.

6. It was an emotional reunion at the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, on Tuesday as dozens of schoolchildren and teachers rescued from kidnappers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State reunited with their families after spending 56 days in captivity. The hospital premises came alive with tears, prayers, songs of thanksgiving and warm embraces as parents waited anxiously from the early hours of the day for medical clearance to take their children home.

7. A coroner’s court in the United Kingdom has ruled that a 27-year-old Nigerian woman, Beatrice Solomon, died by suicide after battling mental health challenges linked to personal difficulties. Beatrice, who relocated from Nigeria to the UK on a skilled worker visa in November 2023, was found unresponsive in her home on Norris Road, Stanfield.

8. The  coroner’s court in the United Kingdom has ruled that a 27-year-old Nigerian woman, Beatrice Solomon, died by suicide after battling mental health challenges linked to personal difficulties. Beatrice, who relocated from Nigeria to the UK on a skilled worker visa in November 2023, was found unresponsive in her home on Norris Road, Stanfield

9. Rivers State Police Command has arrested a man identified simply as Richard for allegedly killing his lover, Caroline Sunday, during a domestic dispute over allegations of infidelity in Eneka, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, reportedly began after the suspect confronted the deceased over claims that she was being unfaithful—an allegation she denied.

10. Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has warned against what he described as attempts to capture the opposition party through judicial manipulation and the misuse of state institutions. George, in a statement on Tuesday, condemned the recent developments surrounding the party’s leadership crisis, alleging that some forces were working to destabilise the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.