Nyesom Wike, the minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), has authorised the revocation of 4,794 land titles in the nation’s capital due to over 40 years of nonpayment of ground rent, valued at N6.9 billion.
A statement signed Lere Olayinka, the senior special assistant on public communications and social media, said 8,375 property owners in the Central Area, as well as those in Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape, have failed to pay ground rent in the last 43 years.
He said that the landowners owed N6,967,980,119 in total adding that 4,794 land titles were past due on ground rent payments for 10 years or more.
Olayinka stated that the revocation came after the FCT administration made several declarations and publications in the media since 2023, noting that existing legislation permitted the payment of ground rentals.
“It should be noted that the FCTA made numerous publications in national newspapers and announcements on broadcast media since 2023, calling on defaulters to pay up all outstanding bills and ground rents. All these yielded little response, as several allottees failed to pay,” the statement reads.
“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 the grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year, without demand.
“Consequently, a list of land titles in default of payment of ground rent has been compiled in the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC). They are; Central Area District (Cadastral Zone A00), Garki I (Cadastral Zone A01), Wuse I (Cadastral Zone A02), Garki II (Cadastral Zone A03), Asokoro (Cadastral Zone A04), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A05), Maitama (Cadastral Zone A06), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07), Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A08) and Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09).
“As of the end of 2024 and up till today, a total of N6,967,980,119 is owed as ground rent by 8,375 property owners. In other words, a total of 8,375 property owners have not paid ground rent up to last year, 2024.
“A total of 4,794 land titles are in default of ground rent payment for 10 years and above. Meaning that in the listed districts, 4,794 property owners have not paid ground rent in the last 10 years.
“This is in contravention of the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy, in line with the provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.”
Olayinka said that land titles for individuals who had fallen behind on payments for 10 years or more had been promptly revoked, while others who had fallen behind had twenty-one days to make payments before their titles were also revoked.
“Consequently, the titles of the properties in default of payment of Ground Rent for 10 years and above have been revoked forthwith,” he said.
“A grace of 21 Days is also given to title holders that are in default of payment of ground rent for between one and ten years, after which the affected titles will be revoked.”
