Nigeria’s Abandoned Projects and Village People, By Prince Charles Dickson PhD

“Ọkụkọ bụ isi ọrụ, ọ bụla ọrụ na-eme, ọ na-eme ya n’ọnụ.” “The hen is the head of the work, whatever work it is doing, it is doing it with its mouth.” Ponfa Kachi

With all things Nigerian, it is only a trend, vibes, steeze and In shaa Allah, and we just move on, like currently a bandit is doing giveaway on social media and nothing will happen…So, a clip trended last month, that was largely on the phenomenon of abandoned projects. But like the projects it discussed, the video has been abandoned.

Abandoned projects have long been a pervasive issue in Nigeria, with numerous high-profile initiatives falling by the wayside despite significant investments of time, resources, and public funds. This admonishment will delve into the stories behind some of Nigeria’s most notorious unfinished projects, exploring the underlying factors that contribute to this persistent phenomenon and the implications it holds for the country’s development.

Bayelsa Tower Hotel: A Towering Failure
Estimated Cost: 8 Billion Naira
The Bayelsa Tower Hotel was envisioned as a grand, state-of-the-art hotel project in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Backed by six successive state governors, the project was intended to serve as a landmark in the region and a hub for tourism and business. However, despite the multi-billion-naira investment, the hotel remains unfinished and abandoned, standing as a testament to the challenges that plague Nigeria’s project management landscape.

Abuja Millennium Tower: A Pipe Dream Gone Awry
Estimated Cost: 200 Billion Naira
The Abuja Millennium Tower was conceived as a massive, iconic structure that would serve as a symbol of Nigeria’s progress and ambition. Planned to be one of the tallest buildings in Africa, the project attracted significant attention and funding. Yet, despite the lofty aspirations, the tower remains incomplete, with construction halted and the project’s future uncertain.

Tinapa Resort: A Dream Deferred
Estimated Cost: 350 Million Dollars
Tinapa Resort, located in Cross River State, was envisioned as a world-class, integrated business and leisure complex that would drive economic growth in the region. However, the project faced various challenges, including political interference, funding constraints, and operational difficulties. As a result, Tinapa Resort remains largely abandoned, leaving behind a trail of unmet promises and wasted investments.

Katsina Wind Mill: A Renewable Energy Mirage
Estimated Cost: 4.4 Billion Naira
The Katsina Wind Mill project was intended to harness the power of renewable energy and contribute to Nigeria’s electricity generation capacity. Lauded as a groundbreaking initiative, the project was plagued by delays, cost overruns, and technical difficulties. Today, the wind mill stands as a reminder of the complexities involved in implementing large-scale infrastructure projects in the country.

River Niger Dredging: A Costly Endeavor
Estimated Cost: 4 Billion Naira
The River Niger Dredging project was undertaken to improve navigability and transportation along the vital waterway. However, the project faced significant setbacks, including budget overruns, environmental concerns, and lack of sustainable maintenance plans. As a result, the dredging efforts have largely been abandoned, leaving the river’s potential unrealized.

Rivers State Monorail: A Transportation Dream Derailed
Estimated Cost: 400 Million Dollars
The Rivers State Monorail project was envisioned as a modern, efficient public transportation system for the city of Port Harcourt. Hailed as a transformative initiative, the project struggled with funding challenges, political changes, and technical complexities. Today, the partially constructed monorail remains abandoned, leaving commuters in the region without the promised transportation solution.

Abuja CCTV Project: Surveillance System Gone Dark
Estimated Cost: 460 Million Dollars
The Abuja CCTV project was intended to enhance security and surveillance in Nigeria’s capital city. Ambitious in scale, the project involved the installation of a comprehensive network of closed-circuit television cameras. However, the project faced issues with procurement, implementation, and maintenance, ultimately leading to its abandonment and the city’s security concerns remaining unresolved.

Brass LNG: A Missed Opportunity in the Energy Sector
Estimated Cost: 1.2 Billion Dollars
The Brass LNG project was a joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and international oil companies to establish a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Brass, Bayelsa State. Despite the significant investment and potential benefits, the project has been plagued by delays, regulatory hurdles, and financial challenges, leaving the country’s energy diversification plans unfulfilled.

Mambilla Power Project: A Towering Ambition Unmet
Estimated Cost: 5.8 Billion Dollars
The Mambilla Power Project was conceived as a transformative hydroelectric power initiative that would dramatically increase Nigeria’s electricity generation capacity. However, the project has been mired in delays, land disputes, and funding issues, with construction yet to commence despite the substantial investment and the country’s pressing need for reliable power infrastructure.

Ajaokuta Steel Mills: A Rusting Dream of Industrialization
Estimated Cost: 8 Billion Dollars
The Ajaokuta Steel Mills project was a cornerstone of Nigeria’s industrialization strategy, aimed at establishing a robust steel production capacity. Despite the immense investment and decades of efforts, the project remains largely unfinished, with the partially constructed mills standing as a symbol of the country’s struggle to translate ambitious plans into tangible results.

The prevalence of abandoned projects in Nigeria is a multifaceted issue, rooted in a complex web of political, economic, and institutional challenges. Factors such as political instability, corruption, inadequate project planning and management, funding constraints, and lack of sustained commitment have all contributed to the high rate of unfinished initiatives.

One of the primary drivers of this phenomenon is the tendency for new administrations to abandon or deprioritize projects initiated by their predecessors. This cycle of political discontinuity undermines the long-term vision and consistency required for successful project implementation. Additionally, the diversion of funds and resources to political patronage and personal interests often takes precedence over the efficient and transparent allocation of resources for public projects.

Furthermore, the lack of robust project management frameworks, inadequate feasibility studies, and poor risk assessment contribute to the challenges faced by many of these initiatives. The inability to secure sustainable funding sources, both from domestic and international sources, further exacerbates the problem, leading to projects stalling or being abandoned altogether.

The impact of these abandoned projects is far-reaching, with significant economic, social, and developmental consequences for the country. The wasted investments, the lost opportunities for job creation, and the erosion of public trust in the government’s ability to deliver on its promises all have a detrimental effect on Nigeria’s overall progress and development.

To address this persistent issue, Nigeria must prioritize institutional reforms, strengthen project management capabilities, and foster a culture of accountability and transparency. This would involve implementing comprehensive project evaluation and monitoring systems, enhancing collaboration between government agencies and the private sector, and ensuring that project selection and execution are driven by clear, long-term strategic priorities that transcend political cycles.

However, I end with bad news, I started with a proverb, and the real essence of that proverb or axiom lies in the fact that there is a lot of talk and discussion around important issues and goals, but little tangible action or progress being made. It suggests that Nigerians are often more focused on discussing their dreams and aspirations rather than taking concrete steps to realize them.

The proverb captures the sentiment that despite Nigeria’s vast potential and ambitions, the country has often struggled to translate its rhetoric and plans into meaningful, lasting change and achievements. It reflects the sense that Nigeria’s dreams and visions for development and progress remain largely unfinished or unfulfilled, and village people remain at work, like the endhunger and endbadgovernnace, it all ends abandoned and nothing concrete achieved but somehow—May Nigeria win.