The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed plans to review and potentially increase ground rent charges across Abuja, as part of a broader drive to improve revenue generation for infrastructure development.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday following an inspection of key projects in the capital, Wike decried what he described as widespread non-compliance with statutory land-related obligations, including ground rent some unpaid for up to two decades.
“The biggest challenge I face is not from building roads or hospitals it’s the refusal of property owners to fulfil their financial responsibilities to the government,” Wike said.
Crackdown on Defaulters Begins
The Minister’s remarks follow a high-profile enforcement operation that began earlier in the week. The FCT Administration (FCTA) commenced the sealing of prominent properties linked to ground rent arrears. Among those affected were the National Secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), a branch of Access Bank, and a TotalEnergies service station.
These enforcement actions have drawn sharp criticism from some quarters. Both the PDP and FIRS condemned the move as heavy-handed and politically insensitive. Nonetheless, the Presidency stepped in to de-escalate tensions.
President Bola Tinubu has since approved a 14-day grace period for affected property owners to settle their outstanding debts, along with associated penalties reportedly ranging from ₦2 million to ₦3 million depending on the property’s location within the capital.
“Abuja is Not an Oil-Producing State”
Wike defended the clampdown, stressing that Abuja’s developmental needs must be met through internal revenue, as the territory lacks oil revenue or large-scale federal allocations.
“People want lights, roads, water yet they resist paying the taxes that fund these services. Abuja depends on internally generated revenue. These obligations are not new; they’ve been in place for years and are the legal basis for land occupancy,” he explained.
The Minister also pointed to a culture of entitlement among affluent residents, some of whom, he said, own multiple properties abroad where tax compliance is strictly enforced a standard they often disregard at home.
“The same people who would never dare default in London or New York feel emboldened to ignore the law here,” Wike remarked. “We have not even increased the ground rent yet. But that’s about to change.”
Land Documentation and Revenue Drive
Wike further revealed that over 1,500 Certificates of Occupancy and Deeds of Assignment have been signed in recent weeks, as part of the administration’s push to regularize land titles and boost revenue collection.
He urged residents to pay their taxes and ground rents, emphasizing that compliance would directly translate into improved services and visible development across the territory.
“If everyone plays their part, the results will speak for themselves. That’s what we’re working hard to deliver,” the Minister concluded.
As the deadline for compliance approaches, the FCTA has made it clear that non-payment will carry legal consequences — signaling a new era of fiscal discipline and governance in Nigeria’s capital.
