Wike Approves Enforcement as FCTA Moves to Revoke 1,095 Property Titles Over Unpaid Land Charges

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has begun enforcement procedures on 1,095 properties in Abuja following the approval of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to revoke titles linked to long-standing defaults on statutory land charges.

The development was confirmed on Friday by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, who said the decision followed months of public notices and warnings issued to property owners across key districts of the capital city.

According to the statement, the affected properties are located in high-value areas of Asokoro, Maitama, Garki, and Wuse—districts that host some of Abuja’s most prominent residential and commercial developments.

Breakdown of Violations

Out of the 1,095 properties marked for enforcement:

• 835 were flagged for defaulting on ground rent payments, a statutory annual fee required of all property title holders.

• 260 others were cited for failing to settle land use conversion charges, penalties, and issues related to Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) obligations.

The FCTA said it issued repeated reminders between May and November 2025 through newspapers, digital media, and broadcast outlets, urging defaulters to clear their outstanding payments or risk the revocation of their titles. Despite these warnings, many property holders allegedly ignored the directives.

The administration added that the continued non-compliance violates Section 28(5a and 5b) of the Land Use Act, which empowers the government to revoke rights of occupancy when owners fail to fulfil the conditions attached to their titles.

Grace Period Expires

Olayinka explained that Minister Wike approved the enforcement after the final 14-day grace period expired on November 25, 2025.

“Following the expiration of the final grace period of fourteen calendar days on Tuesday, November 25, the FCT Administration will now carry out enforcement actions on the 835 properties defaulting in ground rent and 260 properties defaulting in violation fees and land use conversion fees,” he said.

Enforcement to Begin Immediately

With the grace period over, the FCTA has begun steps that could include sealing off buildings, repossessing plots, or initiating full revocation procedures, depending on the category of default.

The administration stressed that the action is part of broader efforts to enforce compliance with land administration rules, boost internally generated revenue, and restore order in Abuja’s property sector.

More names and details of affected properties are expected to be published in subsequent official releases.