Abuja countries relocated their embassies to Abuja, and many maintain their former embassies as consulates in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria. Abuja is the headquarters of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the regional headquarters of OPEC. Abuja and the FCT have experienced huge population growth; it has been reported that some areas around Abuja have been growing at 20% to 30% per year. Squatter settlements and towns have spread rapidly in and outside the city limits. Tens of thousands of people have been evicted since former FCT minister Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai started a demolition campaign in
Abuja the encompassing Federal Capital Territory. The Abuja Municipal Area Council is the local government responsible for administration of the city. Coucillorship and chairmanship elections are held regularly. The People's Democratic Party won the 2013 election, as it had in 2010. The FCT is headed by the FCT Minister, currently Malam Muhammad Bello, who is appointed by central government. The FCT Minister appoints members to the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) The FCT's ministers have been as follows: 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