The Enugu State Government has rolled out sweeping reforms in land administration, announcing a reduction of land-related charges by more than 60 per cent, the outright ban of the controversial Ogbonecheagu levy, and the harmonisation of all property charges into a single annual payment.
The reforms form a core part of Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s economic transformation agenda aimed at eliminating multiple taxation, curbing illegal revenue practices, and making Enugu a more attractive destination for investors and homeowners.
Under the new policy framework, ground rent, land use charges, and all property-related fees have been consolidated into a Unified Land Use Charge, payable once a year through the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS). The policy applies uniformly to properties located both within and outside housing estates across the state.
The announcement was made at a stakeholders’ townhall meeting on land sector development, held on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
Speaking on behalf of the Governor, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the administration is determined to build a transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly land governance system rooted in legality, accountability, and digital innovation.
He described land as a critical driver of housing, infrastructure, agriculture, commerce, and investment, noting that the Mbah administration deliberately embarked on reforms to modernise land governance, eliminate uncertainty, and restore public trust.
“These reforms are anchored on transparency, predictability, digitisation of records, and strict adherence to statutory processes for land allocation, registration, and development control,” Onyia said.
He added that sustainable land governance must be driven by continuous engagement with communities, professionals, investors, traditional institutions, and the wider public.
A major highlight of the policy overhaul is the immediate abolition of the widely criticised Ogbonecheagu fees, which Onyia said Governor Mbah had declared illegal following widespread complaints from residents.
He disclosed that a task force has been set up to enforce compliance, warning that the government would not tolerate extortion or illegal collections in any form. Members of the public who were compelled to pay such illegal levies were urged to forward evidence to [email protected] for swift government action.
According to the SSG, the reforms were informed by the recommendations of a multi-stakeholder Committee on Land-Related Revenue and Administration, established to address the challenges of multiple taxation and revenue abuse in the sector.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie, said Governor Mbah has issued decisive policy directives and legal instruments, including an executive order declaring nine out of Enugu’s seventeen local government areas as urban areas to promote structured planning and infrastructure development.
He further revealed that the administration enacted the Enugu State Geographic Information System (ENGIS) Law, creating a one-stop digital platform for land transactions and accelerating the full digitisation of land administration.
According to Okorie, land records across the state have now been fully harmonised, eliminating missing files and ensuring that every parcel of land can be digitally tracked. He added that applications for Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) can now be submitted online or processed through designated government offices.
The Commissioner also noted that the Property Protection Law signed by Governor Mbah guarantees the security of legitimate property ownership and offers stronger protection for investors’ assets.
Providing details on operational changes, the Managing Director of ENGIS, Mr. Chiwetalu Nwatu, announced that all buildings located within housing estates owned by the Ministry of Housing and the Housing Development Corporation must now obtain building approvals directly from the respective institutions, irrespective of location.
He added that building approvals for properties in non-government estates within the Enugu metropolis will henceforth be handled exclusively by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) to eliminate jurisdictional overlaps and administrative bottlenecks.
Nwatu further disclosed that Certificates of Occupancy for buildings in both private and government estates will now be issued directly to individual property owners, a move designed to strengthen title security and enhance the bankability of property assets.
Also speaking at the forum, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ES-IRS), Mr. Emmanuel Ekene Nnamani, said the newly signed Tax Law was structured to place a higher tax burden on high-income earners while shielding low-income residents.
He urged residents to obtain their Tax Identification Numbers (TIN) at no cost and comply with tax filing requirements to enable the government generate accurate data for effective development planning.
Responding to concerns raised by stakeholders, Prof. Onyia announced the formation of a committee chaired by the ENGIS Managing Director, Mr. Chiwetalu Nwatu, to address layout-related issues and submit actionable recommendations within one week.
The townhall meeting attracted a broad spectrum of participants, including heads of government agencies, community landowners, estate developers, surveyors, town planners, property agents, legal practitioners, traditional rulers, town unions, business operators, religious organisations, financial institutions, civil society groups, development partners, and members of the public.
