The Federal Capital Territory Administration has expressed its readiness to strengthen collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in key areas including urban development, security architecture and economic growth.
FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, made this known on Tuesday, when he received the Saudi Ambassador to Nigeria, Yousef Bin Mohammed Al Balawi, who was on a courtesy visit to his office in Abuja.
Wike said the FCT was open to structured engagement with Saudi Arabia and its major cities, particularly Riyadh, to promote knowledge exchange on modern city planning, infrastructure development and urban governance.
He said the relationship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia provided a strong foundation for city-to-city cooperation, adding that Abuja was willing to take advantage of that partnership to improve its development trajectory.
“Your coming today is for us to solidify and make sure that we work together for our mutual interest. Saudi Arabia is very important, not just as a leading city in the Gulf States but also in the world. We would like to capitalize on that good relationship to see how our cities can cooperate, learn from each other, and see what we can do together for the mutual benefit of the two countries,” he said.
The minister said he was particularly interested in formal exchanges between Abuja and Saudi cities, adding that such engagements could include study visits and technical cooperation in areas such as urban renewal, security management and infrastructure planning.
He also said the FCTA would continue to strengthen its diplomatic environment to ensure that international partners and missions operate in a secure and enabling atmosphere.
Wike further attributed ongoing transformation projects in the capital to the political direction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, saying the administration was working to position Abuja as a competitive global city.
He, however, acknowledged that more work was still ongoing to fully achieve that goal.
“We have not gotten to where we want to be yet, but the Tinubu administration is committed and has what it takes to take the capital city to the global stage,” he said.
Earlier, Ambassador Al-Balawi said Saudi Arabia was interested in deepening cooperation with Nigeria through stronger engagement with the FCT, particularly in areas of urban planning, security, economy and education.
He said he had been impressed by Abuja’s physical development since assuming duty in Nigeria in February 2026, describing the city as well planned and welcoming.
“I’m looking forward to strengthening our relationship in many fields—political, diplomatic, economic, security, and education. We need to work together to exchange our experience on how we can build beautiful, green, and modern cities like Abuja through exchanges between Abuja and Riyadh,” he said.
The ambassador added that Saudi cities such as Jeddah share similar environmental and planning characteristics with Abuja, a factor he said could support practical cooperation between both sides.