The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revoked the land title of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat in Abuja over non-payment of ground rent spanning two decades.
The revocation, formalized in a notice dated March 13, 2025, was issued under the powers granted by the Land Use Act. Signed by the FCT Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, the notice cited the party’s failure to pay annual ground rents from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025, despite repeated public notices.
According to the letter, the FCTA had issued several publications since 2023, urging property owners to clear outstanding bills, yet the PDP Secretariat remained non-compliant. As a result, the administration will take possession of the property until all arrears are settled.
In a broader crackdown on defaulters, Wike recently approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles across the FCT due to unpaid ground rent, amounting to approximately N6.9 billion in liabilities over the past 40 years. An estimated 8,375 property owners in key districts, including Central Area, Garki, Wuse, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape, were found to have defaulted for up to 43 years.
The FCTA, through its Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, reiterated that these actions align with existing legal provisions. The administration had repeatedly called on defaulters to fulfill their obligations, emphasizing that ground rent payments are a fundamental requirement under the terms of occupancy grants.
With this development, property owners in Abuja may face increased enforcement measures as the FCT Administration seeks to recover outstanding revenue from defaulters.
