FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has revoked 4,794 land titles in Abuja, citing non-payment of ground rent for over 40 years. The affected properties, worth billions, span key districts like Asokoro, Maitama, and Wuse. Full details inside.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a drastic step by revoking the land titles of 4,794 property owners in Abuja over non-payment of ground rent for more than 40 years. This sweeping action comes amid concerns over land administration and revenue losses in the nation’s capital.
The revocation affects properties in key Abuja highbrow districts, including Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape, where a staggering 8,375 property owners have defaulted on their ground rent payments for over four decades.
Speaking at a press briefing, the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, alongside the Director of Lands in the FCTA, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, disclosed that the administration had made multiple efforts to recover the outstanding payments before taking the decisive action.
According to Olayinka, “The FCTA has repeatedly published notices in national newspapers and made public announcements since 2023, urging defaulters to clear their outstanding dues. Unfortunately, many allottees failed to comply.”
He further explained that Abuja ground rent payment is a legal obligation tied to the terms and conditions of land ownership in the FCT. “It is due for payment on the first day of January each year without demand. Failure to comply puts the landowners in violation of their Right of Occupancy,” he stated.
The total outstanding ground rent owed by the 8,375 defaulters has ballooned to N6,967,980,119 as of 2024, raising concerns about compliance with land use regulations.
A breakdown of the affected areas shows that the defaulters are spread across the ten oldest districts in Abuja, including:
Central Area (Cadastral Zone A00)
Garki I (Cadastral Zone A01)
Wuse I (Cadastral Zone A02)
Garki II (Cadastral Zone A03)
Asokoro (Cadastral Zone A04)
Maitama (Cadastral Zone A05 & A06)
Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07 & A08)
Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09)
The FCT Administration invoked Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act to justify the mass revocation. According to the law, failure to fulfill the conditions of land allocation, including the timely payment of ground rent, can result in the forfeiture of land titles.
With this mass revocation, thousands of property owners risk losing their real estate investments if they fail to challenge the decision or negotiate with the FCTA. Many experts predict legal battles as affected individuals may take the matter to court. Meanwhile, the FCTA has hinted that the recovered lands may be reallocated or auctioned to new investors willing to comply with payment obligations.
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