The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) will commence the repossession of 4,794 properties in Abuja beginning Monday, May 26, 2025, following years of unpaid ground rent by their respective owners.
The announcement was made at a joint press briefing in Abuja on Friday by senior officials of the FCTA, including Mr. Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communication and Social Media; Mr. Chijioke Nwankwoeze, Director of Land Administration; and Mr. Mukhtar Galadima, Director of Development Control.
According to the officials, the land titles were revoked in accordance with provisions of the Land Use Act, specifically Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b), which empower the government to reclaim land due to breaches of occupancy terms — in this case, non-payment of ground rent spanning between 10 and 43 years.
Properties affected by the revocation are situated in some of the most prominent districts of the Federal Capital City, including Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape.
“The administration will begin to take physical possession of these properties starting next week,” the officials confirmed. “All actions will strictly adhere to the legal framework guiding land administration in the FCT, without exception or special consideration for any individual or entity.”
The decision follows an earlier announcement made in March 2025, when the FCTA revealed that 4,794 of 8,375 defaulting properties — including high-profile buildings such as the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Secretariat — had failed to settle ground rent obligations totaling over ₦6.96 billion.
While property owners who had defaulted for less than 10 years were granted a 21-day window to regularize their payments, the FCTA noted that the grace period has now expired, and further revocations will proceed based on compliance records.
Mr. Nwankwoeze reiterated the statutory basis of ground rent payment, noting that rent is payable on the first day of every year, as outlined in the terms of occupancy, and does not require official notice for enforcement.
In response to reports that some owners may have sought legal redress, he stated, “As of now, no court has issued a ruling barring the FCTA from proceeding. We are therefore acting well within the bounds of the law.”
Mr. Galadima added that the enforcement exercise would involve sealing off the affected buildings and denying access to ensure the FCTA can evaluate next steps concerning each property.
The affected locations include the original ten districts from Phase 1 of Abuja’s development plan, covering areas such as Central Area (Cadastral Zone A00), Garki I and II (Zones A01, A03), Wuse I and II (Zones A02, A07, A08), Asokoro (Zone A04), Maitama (Zones A05, A06), and Guzape (Zone A09).
The FCTA emphasized that the recovery effort is part of a broader drive to ensure compliance with land regulations and improve revenue generation critical to infrastructure development and public services in the nation’s capital.
