The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will, beginning Monday, May 26, 2025, commence the process of taking possession of 4,794 properties across Abuja, following their revocation due to non-payment of Ground Rent spanning between 10 and 43 years.
This was disclosed at a press briefing on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Lere Olayinka, alongside the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, and the Director of the Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima.
They announced that the properties, located in Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape districts, have now legally reverted to the FCTA, which will begin exercising ownership rights.
“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,” they stated.
Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, said access to the affected properties will be restricted as they are sealed off from Monday, adding that the government will determine the future of the properties in due course.
Responding to claims that some property owners had gone to court over the revocations, Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, clarified that there was no court decision barring the FCTA from acting, and therefore, the administration was free to carry out its statutory responsibilities.
Nwankwoeze also revealed that the administration is compiling records of compliance and non-compliance among title holders who defaulted for one to ten years but were given a 21-day grace period to pay up.
“The government will act accordingly as soon as the records are fully compiled and analyzed,” he said.
He reminded the public: “Recall that on March 18, 2025, we informed you of the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape districts.
“These 4,794 properties were among the total of 8,375 land titles on which Ground Rent was not paid from one year to 43 years.
“We did say then that consequent upon the revocation of these titles, ownership of the affected properties has reverted to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
“As from Monday, May 26, 2025, the FCTA will begin to take possession of the affected properties, using relevant agencies of government.
“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.”
He added that relevant agencies are currently compiling compliance data to determine next steps for other defaulting property owners.
“It is important to state that payment of Ground Rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation. It is clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand.”
He noted that in March 2025, the FCTA compiled a list of defaulters across the ten oldest districts in Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City, including Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape.
In these districts, 4,794 titles had lapsed on Ground Rent payment for over a decade, while a total of 8,375 property owners owed over N6.96 billion in Ground Rent.
This, the FCTA says, contravenes the conditions of the Right of Occupancy as outlined in Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.
Consequently, the titles were officially revoked in March 2025, and the FCTA will now begin enforcing its right to take possession.
