Wike revokes over 4,500 land titles in FCT over unpaid ground rent

Nyesom Wike, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister has approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles due to non-payment of Ground Rent for over 40 years.

A total of 8,375 property owners in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape have failed to pay Ground Rent for the past 43 years.

Lere Olayinka, the senior special assistant on public communications and social media, and Chijioke Nwankwoeze, the director of lands at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), made this announcement during a press briefing on Monday in Abuja.

According to him, “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.

“It is important to state that payment of Ground Rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation. It is 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.

Read also: Troops rescue 49 in Plateau, Kaduna, recover over N2m cash

“Consequently, a list of land titles in default of payment of Ground Rent has 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).

As of the end of 2024 and up to the present, a total of N6,967,980,119 is owed in Ground Rent by 8,375 property owners, who have not made payments up to last year.

Additionally, 4,794 land titles are in default of Ground Rent payment for 10 years or more. This means that in the designated districts, 4,794 property owners have failed to pay Ground Rent in the last decade.

This violation contravenes the terms and conditions of the Rights of Occupancy, as stipulated in Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.

As a result, the titles of properties in default for 10 years or more have been revoked with immediate effect.

Furthermore, a 21-day grace period has been granted to titleholders who have defaulted on Ground Rent payments for between one and ten years. After this period, the affected titles will also be revoked.