By Patricia Amogu
Ama Davids Nigeria Limited, an Abuja-based real estate company, has unveiled plans to develop the Abuja Trade Centre (ATC), a proposed 100-hectare commercial facility in Kuje Area Council of the FCT.
The company said the project, which it described as an integrated trade centre, is designed to support business activities, attract investment and promote infrastructure development in the nation’s capital.
The Managing Director of the company, Mr Ibrahim Arasah, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja during an investors’ and stakeholders’ forum on the project.
Arasah said the multi-billion-naira development would integrate commodity markets from across Nigeria and neighbouring countries into a modern commercial ecosystem.
He said the initiative was conceived to address the shortage of organised commercial spaces while promoting trade, tourism and foreign investment.
According to him, the first phase of the project, covering about 30 hectares, is expected to be completed within 24 months.
He said the phase would include a hotel, general market, building materials market, solid minerals market, fashion and furniture markets, as well as a central motor park.
Arasah said the groundbreaking ceremony for the project had been scheduled for July 28 and would attract investors from the public and private sectors, including government officials, financial institutions, cooperative societies, traditional rulers and real estate developers.
He appealed to governments, investors, financial institutions and development partners to support the implementation of the project.
Also speaking, the Lead, Project Development, Mr Gim Oni, described the Abuja Trade Centre as an integrated commercial ecosystem designed to improve supply chains, stimulate investment and generate employment.
Oni said the project’s location in Kuje offered significant strategic advantages because of its proximity to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport and road links to Nasarawa State, Gwagwalada and other parts of the FCT.
According to him, the development would reduce the cost of doing business by providing a centralised trading hub with modern infrastructure.
He added that the project would accommodate hundreds of commercial buildings designed to provide thousands of trading spaces while promoting tourism and business convenience.
Oni expressed confidence that the development would position Abuja as a major commercial and logistics hub while supporting Nigeria’s long-term economic and infrastructure growth.
An infrastructure expert, Mr Policarp Gbaja, said integrating commercial activities into large-scale infrastructure projects was essential for sustainable development.
Gbaja said the Abuja Trade Centre had the potential to become a major regional hub for trade, investment and tourism, leveraging Kuje’s strategic location and planned transport infrastructure.
He expressed optimism that the project would help establish Nigeria as a leading commercial destination in Africa.
Also, Mr Charles Malan commended the initiative, outlining it as a transformative project capable of reshaping the commercial landscape of the FCT.
Malan expressed confidence that Kuje would emerge as a strategic hub for economic development and urged stakeholders to work together to ensure the successful delivery of the project.
Stakeholders at the forum expressed confidence that the Abuja Trade Centre would create jobs, attract investments and strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional commercial and logistics hub. (NAN)
Edited by Tosin Kolade