A rainstorm on Tuesday 7th April 2026 afternoon tore off the roof of the newly built Kugbo Bus Terminal in Abuja, raising fresh questions about the structural integrity of a project that cost Nigerian taxpayers billions of naira and had yet to receive a single passenger.
The downpour, which began around 3:30 p.m., tore off the terminal’s roof, scattering debris across both lanes of the Abuja-Keffi dual carriageway and triggering severe traffic congestion in the area. Eyewitnesses said the incident created chaos as motorists struggled to navigate the debris-strewn road, while scavengers braved the rain to cart away parts of the damaged roofing and other materials.
Authorities were yet to issue an official statement on the incident as of Tuesday evening, even as commuters expressed alarm over the structural quality of newly completed infrastructure in the city.
The timing is particularly embarrassing for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. Just days ago, according to Daily Trust, Wike disclosed that President Bola Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council had approved the management of both the Kugbo and Mabushi bus terminals under a Public-Private Partnership arrangement, and said operations would commence within one to three weeks.
The Kugbo terminal is one of three bus terminals inaugurated in June 2025 as part of efforts to modernise public transportation infrastructure in the Federal Capital Territory.The three terminals located in Kugbo, Mabushi, and the Central Business District were awarded at a combined cost of N51 billion.
Despite the fanfare at inauguration, the terminal never opened its doors. Residents had continued to demand that Wike fast-track the commencement of operations at the terminals, with commuters in satellite towns like Nyanya and Karu expressing frustration that the facility sat idle for months.
Prior to Tuesday’s incident, structural concerns had already been flagged. A visit by journalists to the Kugbo terminal earlier this year found missing ceilings and roofing materials hanging loosely overhead.
