Wike waives C-of-O fees for Nigerian Law School, orders urgent staff housing expansion

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has approved a waiver on Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) fees for the Nigerian Law School’s Abuja campus in Bwari, while directing expedited processing of the land title within one week.

Wike also declared an emergency on the provision of staff accommodation and other critical infrastructure at the institution, as part of efforts to improve its learning environment.

He gave the directive during a meeting with the management of the Nigerian Law School in Abuja, where he expressed surprise that the institution had operated without formal title documentation since relocating to Bwari.

Describing the situation as part of a broader pattern his administration is correcting, the minister instructed the Director of Lands to waive all processing charges and ensure immediate issuance of the C-of-O.

On infrastructure, Wike said 10 staff quarters had already been completed and would be commissioned during the President’s third anniversary celebrations. He added that an additional 10 units would be constructed using existing designs to reduce costs.

He also disclosed that work is ongoing on two new hostels for male and female students to address overcrowding, while a new auditorium project has been approved and flagged for delayed mobilisation by the contractor.

To improve administrative efficiency, the minister directed the Law School to engage the FCTA General Counsel on the digitisation of operations, drawing from ongoing reforms at the FCT High Court.

Wike said the interventions align with President Bola Tinubu’s broader agenda for strengthening legal education and judicial welfare, noting the ongoing construction of residential quarters for judges.

“Anything we can do to help our children, we are willing to do that,” he said, stressing that staff housing must be treated as an emergency project.

Earlier, Olugbemisola Odusote, Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, commended Wike for infrastructure upgrades across the FCT but highlighted persistent deficits and deterioration at the Bwari campus.