The 14-day grace period granted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to property owners in the Federal Capital Territory who defaulted on ground rent payments officially expires today.
This reprieve followed the initial revocation of over 4,700 titles by the FCT Administration, some of which had been owing for up to 43 years.
Before the president’s intervention, several defaulting properties had already been sealed off. While the grace period offered a lifeline to settle outstanding debts, affected property owners were also slammed with additional penalties ranging from N2 million to N5 million, depending on location on top of the backlog of unpaid rents.
An official at the Abuja Geographical Information System (AGIS), speaking off the record, confirmed the expiration of the grace period but said there’s been no official communication yet on what the next enforcement steps will be. The source noted that many defaulters have made payments, though it remains unclear if high-profile institutions like the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the PDP, and Ibro Hotels whose properties were earlier sealed are among those that have complied.
Meanwhile, the FCT Minister’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Lere Olayinka, explained that payments are being processed online via Remita, making real-time tracking of payees difficult.
For now, AGIS says payments will still be accepted until further notice, as no directive has been given to halt the process. The crackdown by the Wike-led FCT administration earlier affected a wide range of properties, from private residences and corporate offices to diplomatic missions and political party headquarters.
