The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revoked 4,794 land titles due to non-payment of ground rent spanning more than 40 years.
According to a statement by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, the revocation follows persistent failure by property owners to meet their financial obligations despite repeated notices from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
“In the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape, a total of 8,375 property owners have not paid ground rent in the last 43 years,” the statement read.
The FCTA’s Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, emphasised that landowners had been given ample time to settle their outstanding debts, with multiple publications in national newspapers and broadcast announcements since 2023 urging compliance. However, these efforts yielded little response.
“It should be noted that the FCTA made numerous publications in national newspapers and announcements on broadcast media since 2023, calling on defaulters to pay up all outstanding bills and ground rents. All these yielded little response, as several allottees failed to pay.
“Consequently, a list of land titles in default of payment of Ground Rent have been compiled in the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC). They are; Central Area District (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), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A06), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A08) and Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09).
“At the end of 2024, the total outstanding ground rent owed by 8,375 property owners amounted to ₦6,967,980,119. Of this figure, 4,794 land titles had been in default for 10 years and above, making them subject to immediate revocation under Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.”
While the immediate revocation applies to those who have defaulted for 10 years and above, the FCTA has granted a 21-day grace period for property owners who have defaulted for between one and ten years to clear their outstanding payments. Failure to do so will result in their land titles also being revoked.
The FCTA reaffirmed that ground rent payments are a legal obligation, due annually on January 1st, and urged defaulters to take immediate action.
