The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles across the FCT due to non-payment of ground rent, which has accumulated to a total of N6.9 billion over the past 40 years.
According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, the revocation follows repeated notifications and announcements by the FCT Administration since 2023, urging property owners to settle their ground rent obligations.
The statement notes that 8,375 property owners in areas such as the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape have failed to pay their ground rents for over 43 years.
Olayinka highlighted that the defaulting landowners owe a staggering N6,967,980,119, with 4,794 land titles in default for over 10 years.
This, he explained, contravenes the terms and conditions of the Right of Occupancy granted to them under the Land Use Act, which mandates the payment of ground rent annually without demand.
The statement read, “A total of 4,794 land titles are in default of ground rent payment for 10 years and above.
Consequently, the titles of the properties in default of payment of Ground Rent for 10 years and above have been revoked forthwith.
A grace of 21 days is also given to title holders who are in default of payment for between one and ten years, after which the affected titles will be revoked.”
In a separate development, Wike has directed the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority (FCDA) to immediately pay compensation to the residents of the Gishiri community, after their properties were demolished to make way for the construction of the Arteria Road N16.
The minister expressed anger over reports that compensation payments had not been fully processed, especially for non-indigenes.
Wike stated, “The government does not pay compensation based on where you come from. Compensation is based on who has a property there,” emphasizing that all residents, regardless of ethnicity, must receive their rightful compensation.
These actions reflect the government’s continued efforts to enforce land regulations and ensure that development projects proceed without delays caused by financial non-compliance.