Starting from May 26, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will begin to exercise ownership over 4,794 properties revoked for non-payment of Ground Rent amounting to N6.9 billion.
Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Lere Olayinka, Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze and Director Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, stated this while briefing the media on Friday.
Those affected were individuals and organisations, who had defaulted in paying ground rent on their properties in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama and Guzape districts for between 10 and 43 years.
Even though FCTA officials confirmed that some of the defaulters had started to comply by paying, it is feared that opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Nigeria Port Authority (NPA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Independent National Electoral Company Limited (INEC), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPCL), Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), National University Commission (NUC) and the M.R.S Investment Company Limited (owners of MRS Petrol Stations) were among the defaulters.
The FCTA officials said the ownership of the properties had reverted to the FCTA, adding from next Monday, the government would begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties using its relevant enforcement agencies.
They added that the titles of the properties in default were revoked in March 2025 in contravention of 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.
“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,” Galadima said.
He noted that affected properties would be sealed up and access to them restricted, adding the FCTA would decide what to do with the affected properties in due course.
Also, Nwankwoeze stated that there was no court decision on the revocation, adding there was no restriction on the FCTA in the discharge of its lawful functions on the affected properties.
He said the FCTA was already compiling records of compliance and non-compliance of title holders that were in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and 10 years, who were given a 21 days grace to effect payment.
He vowed that the government would act accordingly as soon as the records were fully compiled and analysed.
He stressed that payment of Ground Rent on landed properties in the FCT is predicated on extant legislation, clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of grant of Right of Occupancy, due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand.
Nwankwoeze said the affected 4,794 properties were among the total of 8,375 land titles on which Ground Rent was not paid for 43 years.
“As usual, this will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process.
“Recall too that a grace of 21 days was given to title holders that were in default of payment of Ground Rent for between one and 10 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,” Nwankwoeze said.
Olawale Ajimotokan
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