Centenary City Plc has concluded plans to construct a 12-storey building to be called Buhari Tower. It will also construct a polo field.
The Managing Director of Dantata Estate, Mr Alhassan Dantata announced this on Wednesday when the Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Mr Emmanuel Jime visited Centenary City in Abuja.
Buhari Tower and polo field were not part of the original plan of Centenary City.
Centenary City modelled after Dubai, is designed to be a free economic zone with focus on tourism, recreation and sports.
Dantata explained, “We came up with the concept of Buhari Tower. The Buhari Tower concept is about providing residences for officials of government who are in service today.
“This is not a rich man’s city – it’s everybody’s city. And for that, we’re building a complex of 150 flats to be sold at the price of N15 million each, which is the limit that the federal housing scheme loans is for civil servants.
“We intend to break ground within the next four to six weeks.”
He said Buhari Tower to be completed in three years, is conceived from the popularity of President Muhammadu Buhari among the masses of Nigeria.
“Naming it Buhari is based on my personal sentiments – I’m not a politician,” Dantata maintained.
The Managing Director of NEPZA said Centenary City concept was not different from that of Eko Atlantic City in Lagos, lamenting that while Eko Atlantic City has advanced, Centenary City is still struggling.
“This project suffered hiccups,” he stated. He however said “most of the grey areas have been cleared” and a report will be sent to the president.
“If we’re proud to go to Dubai, there’s no reason on earth we don’t encourage such in Nigeria,” Jime observed.
According to him, the project which is infrastructure flagship in Nigeria has capacity to produce a number of jobs no government agency can provide.
He said Centenary City has advanced to the stage investors can comfortably put down their stakes.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Centenary City Plc, Dr Ike Odenigwe said that Centenary City is a legacy project approved by the Federal Executive Council.
He said Centenary City is public private partnership regulated by NEPZA, adding that it is to be developed at no government cost.
Odenigwe revealed that Centenary City Plc had spent N1.4 billion to clear encumbrances like payment of compensation to local inhabitants and removal of structures on the 1,262-hectare site earmarked for the project.
Mr Jaimal Shergill, representative of Front Range, the joint foreign partner from Dubai enumerated the various facilities that are contained in the city’s master plan.
The traditional ruler of Kuje kingdom, HRH Gomo Kuje said, “We support this project 100 percent. The issue of compensation has been settled.”
The meeting with NEPZA Managing Director was attended by local developers, traditional rulers and the press.
The first phase of the project was billed for commissioning this year but for encumbrances emanating from change of government in 2015.
Centenary City which symbolises Nigeria’s 100 years of being as a country was launched by former President Goodluck Jonathan on February 4, 2013.
High-point of the meeting was unveiling of the reviewed Centenary City master plan.
