The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said that starting Monday, it will take possession of properties affected by the revocation of 4,794 land titles for non-payment of Ground Rent for between 10 and 43 years.
Lere Olayinka, the senior special assistant on public communications and new media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, disclosed this during a press briefing on Friday in Abuja.
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The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, and the Director of the Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, accompanied him to the briefing.
In March, Mr Wike approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles for non-payment of ground rent for more than 40 years.
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PREMIUM TIMES, in a subsequent report, listed the names of some of the affected land title holders, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Others are CONOIL Plc, Borno State Government, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), National university commission (NUC), M.R.S Investment Company Limited (owners of MRS Petrol Stations) and Kaduna State Government.
The Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Federal Ministry of Environment, Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, University of Calabar, Nigerian Postal Service and Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) are also affected.
Mr Olayinka said taking possession of the properties in the Central Area, Garki, Wuse, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape districts will be done without considering their ownership.
“Ownership of the revoked 4,794 properties in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape districts, had already reverted to the FCTA, and as from Monday, next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties.
“As usual, this will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected landed properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process.”
Explaining further, Mr Galadima said that affected properties will be sealed and access to them restricted from Monday. He said the FCTA will decide what to do with the affected properties.
On the claim that some property owners had gone to court, Mr Nwankwoeze stated that there was no court decision on the revocation, and as such, the FCTA is not restricted in the discharge of its lawful functions on the affected properties.
He also disclosed that the FCTA was already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance of title holders who had been in default of payment of Ground Rent for one to 10 years, even after the 21-day grace period to pay up.
He added that the government would act accordingly as soon as the records were fully compiled and analysed.
“Recall that on 18 March 2025, we informed you of the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape districts.
“These 4,794 properties were among the total of 8,375 land titles on which Ground Rent was not paid from one year to 43 years, bringing to a total of N6,967,980,119 owed as Ground Rent by 8,375 property owners.
“This contravenes the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy, in line with the provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act. Consequently, the titles of the properties in default were revoked in March 2025.
“We did say then that consequent upon the revocation of these titles, ownership of the affected properties has reverted to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Therefore, from Monday, May 26, 2025, the FCTA will begin to exercise its lawful rights of taking possession of these revoked properties,” the director of land administration said.
Mr Nwankwoeze further explained, “Recall also that a grace of 21 Days was given to title holders that were in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and ten years, to pay up or have their land titles revoked.
“Relevant agencies of the FCTA are already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance with this directive, with a view to acting accordingly.
“It is important to state that payment of Ground Rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation. It is clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of the grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand”.
Background
Since 2023, Mr Wike, through the FCTA, has repeatedly issued public warnings and notices urging defaulters to pay their outstanding ground rent.
The minister, a former governor of Rivers State, is a member of the PDP, but is serving in the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government.
Some months after assuming office on 21 August 2023, he said he would not mind hurting the rich in the reforms he introduced in the FCT. He said the priority of the FCTA was public good.
“When we make the right decision, some people will be happy, and some will not. The rich will kick against some of our decisions, but anything that will help our people must be done,” he said.
