By Gami Tadanyigbe
The Executive Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, has flagged off the construction of a 2,000-shop ultramodern market in Wasa District, Abuja, in a move aimed at boosting commercial activities, creating employment opportunities and improving access to essential goods.
The market is being developed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement between AMAC and Imavug Ltd. on a 7.5-hectare parcel of land near Wasa Primary School, along the Apo-Karshi Road.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Maikalangu said the council entered into the partnership because of the financial and technical capacity required to develop modern markets across the area council.
He said the project would stimulate economic growth in Wasa and neighbouring communities, particularly benefiting women, youths and small-scale traders.
The chairman urged residents to cooperate with the developer and ensure that members of the host community were carried along throughout the construction process.
He also assured prospective traders that the shops would be affordable, adding that AMAC engineers would monitor the project from commencement to completion to ensure compliance with approved construction standards.
Maikalangu expressed optimism that the project, initially scheduled for completion within 24 months, could be delivered ahead of schedule.
He explained that the market would provide a modern trading alternative for residents of the South-West axis of the FCT, reduce roadside trading and ease pressure on existing markets.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Imavug Ltd., Mr Albert Erhabor, described the project as a dream market designed to address challenges associated with existing markets in the FCT, including congestion, inadequate facilities and poor market planning.
Erhabor disclosed that the facility would accommodate more than 2,000 shops of different sizes, alongside warehouses, restaurants, banking facilities and event halls.
He added that the market would incorporate alternative energy sources, including solar power, while its pricing structure would accommodate traders across different income levels.
Also speaking, the District Head of Waru, Chief Ibrahim Sarki, commended Maikalangu for the initiative, describing it as a significant intervention that would bring economic opportunities closer to residents and help reduce poverty.
He noted that the market would save residents the cost and inconvenience of travelling to distant locations, including Suleja, to purchase essential commodities.
The Wasa Ultramodern Market is expected to be completed within 24 months.