Abuja the city of Abuja had a population of 776,298, making it one of the ten most populous cities in Nigeria. According to the United Nations, Abuja grew by 139.7% between 2000 and 2010, making it the fastest growing city in the world. , the city is experiencing an annual growth of at least 35%, retaining its position as the fastest-growing city on the African continent and one of the fastest-growing in the world. As at 2016, the metropolitan area of Abuja is estimated at six million persons, placing it behind only Lagos, as the most populous metro area in Nigeria.
Abuja bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games system was included in the bid documents. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration announced that it had awarded a $841m contract for the construction of the system, which would be completed by 2012. The Abuja 2014 Bid Committee issued a list of 17 sports that they planned to host: The Abuja 2014 Commonwealth Games Bid, led by General Yakubu Gowon, submitted the Abuja 2014 Candidature File (Bid Book) on Wednesday, 9 May 2007 to the President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Michael Fennel, at a ceremony in London where Glasgow also submitted its Candidature File. Members of the Commonwealth Games