The Federal Capital Territory Stakeholders Assembly has completed another phase of its grassroots community leadership data-collection exercise in Kuje and Abaji Area Councils.

The exercise focused on documenting community leadership structures, including traditional rulers, village heads, youth and women leaders, as well as their deputies, secretaries and other key representatives.

It forms part of a territory-wide initiative designed to establish reliable records of grassroots leadership across the Federal Capital Territory.

The Assembly’s wider programme is expected to cover the FCT’s six area councils and 17 chiefdoms, with the organisation previously stating that the exercise is aimed at documenting leadership structures across the territory’s 858 communities.

Speaking after the latest exercise in Kuje and Abaji, the Assembly’s Project Director and Programme Officer, Commandant Isaac David, said the initiative goes beyond simply compiling names.

According to him, the objective is to create an authentic and verifiable database that can help government agencies, development organisations and other stakeholders identify the appropriate community representatives when planning and implementing programmes.

David said reliable grassroots information was essential because development planning could be weakened when authorities lacked clear records of who represented particular communities.

The Assembly has previously explained that the exercise is intended to establish clear channels of communication between government and communities, particularly by identifying village heads, youth leaders, women leaders, deputies and secretaries.

The latest phase in Kuje and Abaji also places attention on the role of grassroots leadership in the development of Abuja’s communities.

David said the information being gathered would support stronger community engagement and people-centred planning, with particular relevance to Abuja Original Inhabitant communities.

He added that the data would contribute to efforts aimed at promoting peace, unity and more effective interaction between community leaders and institutions operating within the FCT.

The Assembly has linked the broader exercise to its proposed Trusted Foundation for People-Centred Planning and Development (TFPCPD) under the Abuja Original Inhabitant Communities Development Policy and Integration Framework (AOICDPIF).

The proposed framework is part of wider discussions around the inclusion of Abuja’s Original Inhabitants in planning and development. In August 2026, stakeholders involved in the framework called for greater integration of indigenous communities into the Abuja Master Plan and stronger participation in decisions affecting their communities.

The data-collection exercise is therefore expected to provide a more organised picture of community structures that can be used when engaging local leaders and communities on development priorities.

David commended traditional rulers, village heads, youth and women leaders and other stakeholders in Kuje and Abaji for their cooperation during the exercise.

He also acknowledged the cooperation of the Yaba Chiefdom and other community stakeholders involved in the process.

The completion of the Kuje and Abaji phase represents another stage in the Assembly’s wider plan to document grassroots leadership structures across the FCT.

Earlier phases of the exercise began in Bwari Area Council before extending to communities in Karu and Karshi, with the Assembly saying the programme would continue until the targeted communities across the territory are covered.

For the Assembly, the broader objective is to ensure that community leadership is properly documented and that residents have clearer channels through which their concerns can be communicated to government and development partners.

As the exercise continues, the resulting database could provide a foundation for more structured engagement between grassroots communities and authorities working on development programmes across the Federal Capital Territory.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia