The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is set to commence a comprehensive enforcement drive against property owners who have failed to meet their statutory financial obligations. The crackdown, scheduled to begin on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, targets millions in unpaid ground rents, land use conversion penalties, and other long-outstanding charges.
End of Grace Periods Triggers Action
According to an announcement made in Abuja by Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, all previously granted grace periods have now fully expired. This marks the end of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's intervention on May 26, 2025, which offered a 14-day window for the payment of accumulated ground rent arrears—some dating back over forty years. That window lapsed on June 9, 2025.
Similarly, a separate grace period for a reviewed land use clause for properties in premium districts like Asokoro, Maitama, Garki, and Wuse will end on Monday, November 24, 2025. The FCTA had announced a violation fee of ₦5 million for any unapproved land use conversion. "With these windows now fully expired, enforcement begins without further delay," Olayinka stated.
Scope of the Enforcement Campaign
The upcoming enforcement is not limited to those who have failed to pay required fees. It also targets individuals and organizations occupying properties purchased from others who have not regularized their ownership. This includes failing to obtain the mandatory Minister’s Consent or register their Deeds of Assignment.
This action builds on a controversial enforcement phase in May, where FCTA task teams sealed several high-profile properties. One notable property was the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Wuse Zone 5, for persistent non-payment of ground rent.
A History of Defaults and Disputes
The Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwakwoeze, previously provided insight into the scale of the problem. He revealed that the owner of the PDP property owed 28 years of ground rent, while a property belonging to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) owed 25 years.
Nwakwoeze also highlighted a pattern of disputed ownership, emphasizing, "Some organisations claim ownership of properties they occupy, but our records show otherwise. You must register your interest. If you don’t, you are not recognised."
The FCTA had earlier announced procedures to take over 4,794 properties revoked for non-payment of ground rent amounting to ₦6.96 billion, with arrears spanning from 10 to 43 years.
The Administration has vowed to sustain this exercise until all outstanding obligations are recovered and proper documentation is restored to the Abuja land registry, warning that no individual or organization will be exempt.
