The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has disclosed the readiness of his administration to join forces with the State of Israel on agriculture and the security to boost the revenue of the nation’s capital, Abuja. 

Wike made this public on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, when the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Freeman, paid a courtesy visit to the minister’s office in Abuja.

Wike bost of the FCT having a conducive climate for extensive agriculture development. He added that the FCTA has plans to establish farms in the territory and engage youths as a means of gainful employment.

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He assured the ambassador that the FCTA, under his administration, would continue to provide the enabling environment for investors to carry out legitimate businesses in the FCT.

On security issues, the Minister said, the FCT had its share of security challenges but it is ready to collaborate with the State of Israel to improve the security situation just like other major cities in the world.

Wike said, “Yes, we have had one or two setbacks in terms of security threats, but like you know, security issues are everywhere, and we are working very hard to see that we nip in the bud, anything that will give us any negative publicity.

“You know all over the world, nobody can say you can have one hundred percent security, you know it’s not possible. But we will try as much as we can, anywhere we can collaborate and work together to help us reduce some level of insecurity in the city. But be assured that we are willing to work”.

The Minister also spoke on some embassies, high commissions, and government organisations in default of ground rent payments. He made it clear that the government’s actions were not targeted at anybody but to improve internally generated revenue in the FCT growth and development.

He said “We are also trying to enhance our internally generated revenue to be able to cater for the developmental needs of our people. So, it is not to embarrass any embassy or commission but rather to draw the attention that this has not been complied with.”

Michael Freeman, the Israeli Ambassador assured that the Israeli embassy is committed to complying with working rules and regulations in the FCT, while he informed the Minister of an ongoing capacity-building project for young Nigerian entrepreneurs and innovators from across the country.

“We have a six-month programme where we take young Nigerian entrepreneurs and innovators from across the country. We bring them deliberately to Abuja because we say this is the capital, to help train them and give them mentorship from Israel and from local Nigerians, to help them to build their company, to create jobs, to create work and afterwards, we give them the opportunity for funding and finance to grow them”, he said