Mr. Biodun Otunola, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Planet Project Ltd, has confirmed that both the Kugbo and Mabushi Bus and Taxi Terminals have been purposefully constructed to process over 10,000 passengers each day.

Otunola made this known in Abuja on Thursday, while speaking during the commissioning of the Kugbo Bus and Taxi Terminal by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which formed part of the celebrations marking the president’s second year in office.

He explained that each of these terminals has been designed to handle daily movements of more than 120 buses and taxis, servicing both intra-city and inter-city routes. According to him, the terminal currently under construction at the Central Business District has a distinct structural plan because it will cater exclusively to intra-city transit services.

“We can easily accommodate 120 buses within this facility, and it has been structured to conveniently process as many as 10,000 passengers on a daily basis,” Otunola explained.

He further clarified that the same model is being implemented at the Mabushi terminal, noting that the concept is identical, except for the terminal at the Central Business District (CBD), which has been designed differently.

Otunola emphasized that the facilities, once fully operational, would significantly improve employment opportunities in the area. He highlighted that each terminal would engage no fewer than 100 people across diverse operational areas, including the security department, ticketing department, facility management, electrical and mechanical teams, maintenance staff, the control room, and bus coordination.

“It is really a huge venture, comparable to operating a mini airport,” Otunola remarked.

He described the newly completed infrastructure as a “transport hub for the general public,” built to meet international standards.

Otunola proudly pointed out that the terminals are equipped with state-of-the-art features, including a fully functioning air-conditioning system, loading bays, an eatery, a cinema, and standard public conveniences.

“In addition, we have escalators, lifts, and a modern ticketing area. Therefore, the stressful travel experience is now a thing of the past,” he assured.

He added that with these improvements, people can travel with more confidence, free from anxiety, and within a safe, secure, and comfortable environment.

Otunola commended President Tinubu and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike, for granting Planet Project Ltd, a local Nigerian contractor, the platform to demonstrate its ability to deliver world-class bus terminal projects for FCT residents.

“This is certainly not the first project we have executed, but being the pioneers of this concept within the FCT is a major milestone for us.

“We sincerely thank President Tinubu for giving us this opportunity, and also Minister Wike. If they did not have confidence in our capacity, they would not have tried us and these results would not have been possible,” he stated.

Otunola also praised the FCT Minister for transferring the management of the terminals to the private sector.

He observed that, following a thorough needs assessment, Abuja would require at least 12 modern bus and taxi terminals to effectively cover the major districts and suburbs.

“We will need one each in Gwagwalada, Kuje, Gwarinpa, Lugbe, and strategic zones within the city such as Area 1, Area 3 in Garki, Wuse, and other important hubs,” he mentioned.

During the same event, President Tinubu, represented by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, emphasized that these terminals would also encourage trade, improve commuter safety and comfort, and bring more orderliness to Abuja’s transportation network.

In a related statement, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike praised the president for his unwavering support of the FCT’s infrastructural renewal drive, including the transformation of public transportation through projects like these bus and taxi terminals.

He said the new system will protect commuters from falling prey to criminals running the so-called “one chance” operations, because they will no longer be forced to wait by the roadside to board vehicles.