Once the pride of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, Aso Radio — the first FM station that once echoed across homes, taxis, and offices in Abuja — now lies in a state of decay and silence. Once a symbol of civic voice and modern broadcasting, the station has become little more than a ghost signal, crippled by neglect, unpaid staff, and bureaucratic indifference.

Located on the Katampe Hill in Abuja, the station’s headquarters now resemble an abandoned relic. Staff who spoke to SaharaReporters described a scene of total collapse — overgrown weeds, rusted signage, and dead airwaves.

“At the entrance, wild grass has overtaken the compound. The old signpost carrying the Aso Radio and Television Services logo is rusting and half-buried in weeds. The air smells of dust and hopelessness,” one staff member lamented.

Inside the building, the deterioration is even worse. The Marketing Department is said to be filled with damp-stained walls, broken chairs, and dusty desks. Cables hang loosely from ceilings, while non-functional computers gather cobwebs.

“In the newsroom, a handful of weary employees still sit before dead screens, enduring the decade-long collapse,” another worker said. “Most of us are ad-hoc. We haven’t been paid for ten months. Some have stopped coming. Those who still show up can’t just sit at home doing nothing.”

Another staffer added:

“Programmes fail every day. News bulletins are missed. Nobody cares anymore. The Acting MD doesn’t even respond. We just exist.”

The station is currently under the supervision of Akin Ajibola, Acting Managing Director of the Abuja Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) — the agency overseeing both Aso Radio and Aso TV. Ajibola was appointed in September 2023 following the mass sackings of 21 parastatal heads by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.

But staff allege that under Ajibola’s leadership, the decline has deepened. Despite the station airing paid adverts — including publicity for Minister Wike’s projects and church events — employees say they have not received salaries in months.

“We see adverts, we see coverage, but no one sees payment,” an insider disclosed. “We don’t even know who handles the finances anymore.”

Since assuming office, Minister Wike has made headlines for demolitions, sackings, and high-profile reshuffles. However, staff accuse him of abandoning critical FCT institutions like Aso Radio. More than a year after the leadership purge, the Abuja Broadcasting Corporation still has no substantive Managing Director.

“We’ve written letters and made calls — nothing. Nobody listens,” said a senior producer. “Aso Radio is dying, and nobody cares.”

Once a vibrant hub that informed and entertained residents of the nation’s capital, Aso Radio now stands as a monument to bureaucratic neglect and leadership failure.

At the exit gate, a weary Civil Defence officer offered a final, haunting summary:

“You see this place? It used to be something. But now, it’s just dust everywhere.”