Wike: "When I Came Into FCT, Monthly Revenue Was 8 to 9 Billion

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has revealed that when he assumed office, the FCT was collecting between 8 and 9 billion naira monthly in internally generated revenue — a figure that could not even cover the territory’s monthly salary obligations, which he said ran between 12 and 13 billion naira. Speaking during an Easter edition of Ministerial Chats, Wike described the aggressive tax drive he launched not as a policy preference but as an act of institutional survival.

“When I came here, we were like 8 to 9 billion every month,” Wike said, clarifying that he meant 8 to 9 billion, not 89. “Our salary in a month is not less than 12 to 13 billion.”

The minister explained that the FCT receives only one percent of the federal government’s total monthly allocation, meaning that if the federal government receives one trillion naira, the territory gets just 10 billion — still insufficient to meet its wage bill before any development spending is considered.

Wike acknowledged that the tax enforcement campaign attracted significant public criticism and personal abuse. “There is no abuse I think any politician has gotten than me,” he said, noting that residents frequently accused the administration of targeting their livelihoods. He said he pressed on regardless, arguing that no responsible government could continue operating at a structural deficit without addressing its revenue base.

The minister challenged critics to publicly account for how they are spending their own allocations. “Challenge the minister of FCT — come and tell us what you’ve been using our tax money to do,” he said, insisting that the proceeds of the tax drive are visible in ongoing infrastructure across all six area councils.

Wike maintained that unlike state governments with broader revenue streams, the FCT depends almost entirely on what it can generate internally through taxes and the federal statutory allocation. He said this fiscal reality informed every major decision his administration has made, from road construction to school renovation to the rollout of health centres.

The minister disclosed that his administration has awarded contracts for no fewer than 250 schools for total renovation, with at least 100 already completed, and that 18 health centres have been listed for rehabilitation. He said he refuses to award contracts without confirming that funds are available, describing premature contracting as a criminal offense….See More