As the seat of the Federal Government of Nigeria, it hosts key national institutions, landmarks, and buildings spread across its over 50 districts.

[24] The indigenous inhabitants of Abuja are the Abawa (Ganagana), Basa, Gwandara, Gbagyi (Gwari) having the majority population in the region.

Others are Karshi, Kurudu, Nyanya, Idu, Gwagwa, Jiwa, Sheretti, Karmo, Takunshara, Burum, Dutse Alhaji, Zuba, Kuje, Kwoi, Karon-Magaji, Ija, Kanwu, Sherre.

[28] As Lagos was already undergoing rapid economic development, the Nigerian regime felt the need to expand the economy towards the inner part of the country, and hence decided to move its capital to Abuja.

[30][31] The initial work for Abuja's planning and implementation was carried out by the Military Government of General's Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo.

[30] Construction started in 1979 but, due to economic and political instability, the initial stages of the city were not complete until the late 1980s.

During the hotly-contested campaign for the presidency, he vowed to hire the American Walt Disney Company to convert the new site (Abuja) into an amusement park if he was elected.

[33] However, after his election as president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari laid the first foundation for Abuja's infrastructure and pushed for its early completion.

His first journey outside of Lagos after his election was to Abuja, where he visited contractors and workers on site to urge a speedy completion of the project.

[37] IPA did not exist prior to the Nigerian Government's engagement with an internationally reputable firm to design the master plan.

The firms were Planning Research Corporation (PRC), Wallace, McHarg, Roberts and Todd, and Archisystems (a division of the Hughes Organisation).

The final report was submitted to the pioneer Executive Secretary of FCDA, Alhaji Abubakar Koko, on 15 February 1979.

"The master plan for Abuja defined the general structure and major design elements of the city that are now visible.

[21][41] Tens of thousands of people have been evicted since former FCT minister Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai started a demolition campaign in 2003.

[52][53] For ease and co-ordination of developmental efforts, the city was divided into 'Phases' by its planners, with the city's development taking a concentric form with Phase 1, which consists of the city's inner districts-Central Area, Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse, Wuse II, Garki, Garki II, Guzape and Guzape II-at its core spreading out from the foot of Aso Rock, while Phase 5, consisting of the newly created Kyami District covering the vicinity of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport[54] and the permanent campus of the University of Abuja, over 40 kilometres west of Aso Rock.

A few of the other sites worth seeing in the area are the federal secretariats alongside Shehu Shagari Way, Aso Hill, the Abuja Plant Nursery, Eagle Square (which has important historic significance, as it was in this grounds that the present democratic dispensation had its origin on 29 May 1999) and in which all subsequent Presidential Inauguration ceremonies have taken place.

[60] Also located here is the yet-to-be-completed National Square, Millennium tower and Nigeria Cultural Centre multi-functional complex.

[citation needed] Area 2 is mainly used for residential purposes, although a zoological garden, as well as a small shopping centre, are to be found here as well.

The headquarters of the Nigerian Armed Forces – Army, Airforce and Navy – is located on Muhammadu Buhari Way in the Garki District.

[63] Other places of note include the Cyprian Ekwensi Arts & Culture Centre and The Nigerian Police Mobile Force CID (Criminal Investigation Department) headquarters in Area 10.

Maitama II has a high net worth of individuals especially legislators as allottees, which makes it a destination for real estate investors who desire to secure the future today.

Notable landmarks of the Maitama 2 district are Jubilation Avenue, Mount Pleasant Haven and Hilltop Estate.

Along the Airport Road (Now Umaru Musa Yar'Adua Express Way) are clusters of satellite settlements, namely Lugbe, Chika, Kuchigworo and Pyakassa.

Another open area park is located in Lifecamp Gwarimpa; near the residence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

[70] Abuja has a variety of informal spaces known as "Bush Bars" that usually, though not always, include a covered area with tables and chairs where people can sit and have drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and sometimes there are snacks such as suya, grilled catfish, pounded yam, egusi soup and other small items available for purchase.

[74] In between the two, there is a brief interlude of harmattan occasioned by the northeast trade wind, with the main feature of dust haze and cloudless skies.

[citation needed][75] The rainy season begins from April and ends in October,[76] when daytime temperatures reach 28 °C (82.4 °F) to 30 °C (86.0 °F) and nighttime lows hover around 22 °C (71.6 °F) to 23 °C (73.4 °F).

[78] The effects of climate change have been observed in Abuja, according to a study conducted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and Atmospheric Science Group of Imo State University.

These areas of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) form one of the few surviving occurrences of the mature forest vegetation in Nigeria.

Abuja is also linked to Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue and Northeast Nigeria by the A234 Federal Highway, which starts from the city as the Goodluck Jonathan expressway, some portions of which are still under construction.