Ground rent: Wike orders compilation of fresh defaulters list
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has ordered the compilation of a fresh list of property owners defaulting on ground rent payments, warning that sanctions — including sealing of properties — will soon follow.
Earlier this year, the FCT Administration began sealing off properties over unpaid ground rent, but the exercise was halted after public backlash prompted President Bola Tinubu to intervene, granting defaulters a two-week grace period. That deadline, Wike noted, has now stretched into several months.
On June 2, the FCTA published a demand notice for arrears covering 2014 to 2024. Speaking in Abuja during the inauguration of a committee on the abuse of the Land Use Act, Wike said it was time to enforce compliance.
“We have allowed too much time. The two weeks we gave has passed into months. Nigerians won’t act unless you take decisive steps. From the names we have published up to 2025, prepare the list so we can begin immediate enforcement,” he stated, adding that the revenue would be channeled into critical infrastructure projects in the capital.
Wike also announced that President Tinubu has approved the FCT’s 2025 budget, but stressed that without recovering outstanding payments, the administration cannot fund initiatives that will directly benefit residents.
He tasked the Directors of Land, Abuja Geographic Information System, Development Control, and Urban & Regional Planning to work diligently to ensure compliance and recover the funds.
