BWARI, FCT – In a significant step towards people-centred urban development, residents, traditional leaders, civil society organizations, and elected officials of the Bwari Area Council gathered on Thursday, September 11th, 2025, to formally unveil a comprehensive “Residents Charter on City Development.”
The event, held at AJ’s Hotel and Suites in Dutse, Bwari Area Council and organized by the HipCity Innovation Centre with support from the Heinrich Boel Foundation, served as a public platform to outline a collective vision for transforming Bwari into a prosperous, sustainable, and inclusive urban centre within the Federal Capital Territory.
The gathering was attended by a broad cross-section of the residents, including representatives of the Etsu Bwari, HRH Dr. Ibrahim D. Yaro (JP); the Bwari Youth President, Comrade J.H. Awoyi; councilors from Kubwa, Usuma, Ushafa, and Dutse wards; members of the press; and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs).
A Blueprint for Transformation
The Executive Director of HipCity Innovation Centre, Mr. Bassey Bassey, set the tone for the event, framing the charter not as a list of complaints, but as a strategic blueprint for unlocking Bwari’s vast potential. He articulated a compelling vision of a revitalized Bwari, emphasizing that the charter’s implementation would give the area council “the facelift and focus it deserves,” projecting it as a “bubbling and prosperous urban space and economic hub”.
Mr. Bassey detailed core areas of demand, which became the central pillars of the charter:
- Infrastructure & Connectivity: A call for better road networks within the area council, low-cost housing with reliable, high-speed internet access. “Imagine if people can come and have low-cost housing within Bwari… How many people would move into this area?” he asked, linking digital infrastructure to economic growth and attracting remote workers.
- Affordable Housing: A major focus on partnering with developers to address the critical housing shortage, where residents often spend almost 50% of their income on rent.
- Tourism & Security: Highlighting Bwari’s status as the “tourism hub of the FCT,” Mr. Bassey pointed to sites like the once-popular Crush rock and a local waterfall, whose potential remains untapped due to security concerns. “Bwari is losing money. The local economy is also losing money… if we invest in security and tourism, more people would come,” he stated.
- Public Transportation: A proposal for the area council to invest in an efficient, regular bus service to the city centre. “People will come to Bwari just because we have a public transportation system that is efficient, effective and subsidized” he argued.
- Education & Recreation: A push to revitalize the standard of local schools and build much-needed recreational centers to keep spending within the local economy.
POWERFUL TESTIMONIES AND PARTNERSHIPS
The forum was punctuated by powerful personal appeals. A representative from the PWD community, Dr. Umar Peter, applauded the initiative and made a specific plea to officials: “Put an end to open defecation as it is harmful to the residents and the environment.”
A key highlight was the presentation by Mr. John Olugbemi, a marketing and communications manager at MFF Housing (The Millard fuller Foundation) an affordable housing development organization. He provided a tangible case study from Luvu Estate, Masaka, where his company had built over 1,000 housing units, transforming the area’s security and economic landscape.
“Affordable housing is the foundation of social status. It will reduce crime and will foster togetherness,” Mr. John Olugbemi asserted. He detailed a partnership model where the area council would not provide funds but facilitate access to land and streamline approvals, enabling private developers to bring in investment. “We are not asking you to bring the money. All we need you to do is take on this… We’ll be bringing our money, we’ll be bringing the stakeholders.”
ELECTED OFFICIALS RESPOND: ACKNOWLEDGING CHALLENGES AND PROMISING ACTION
In response, the attending councilors welcomed the charter but candidly outlined the political and budgetary constraints they face.
Hon. Adamu Shekwonya, Councilor for Kubwa Ward, explained the limitations of the legislative arm, noting that while projects are often budgeted for, execution falls to the executive chairman. “We don’t have the power to execute… I can only write to the executive chairman,” he said. He urged NGOs to explore direct partnerships with the council to bypass bureaucratic delays.
Echoing this sentiment, Hon. Abel Peter Obeya, Councilor for Usuma Ward, called for a repeat of this charter presentation to be held within the area council legislative chambers to ensure the direct participation of the chairman and all councilors. He passionately supported the public transportation idea, recalling a past initiative that had failed. “It’s something we can do. It’s very, very practical… Unfortunately, we as councilors don’t have the power to do that. We can only recommend to our chairman”.
A UNANIMOUS CALL TO ACTION
The event culminated in the symbolic unveiling of the Residents’ Charter of Demand. The collective message from residents and officials alike was a call for sustained collaboration, actionable commitment and implementation.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Bassey from HipCity Innovation Centre accepted the challenge to present the charter directly to the area council executives, ensuring the message reaches the highest levels of local government. The charter represents a unified voice from the people and residents of Bwari, marking a pivotal moment where community aspiration has been formally codified into a document demanding accountability, partnership, and transformative development for generations to come. The future of Bwari, as envisioned by its residents, now hinges on the next steps taken by its leaders.
