Groundrent : FCTA Revokes 4,794 Land Titles

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has approved the revocation of 4,794 land titles due to non-payment of ground rent.

The Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka made this known during a media briefing in Abuja.

He explained that the affected properties are located in key areas of Abuja, including Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape.

According to him, a total of 8,375 property owners failed to pay ground rent in the past 43 years, with outstanding debts amounting to ₦6,967,980,119 at the end of 2024.

Olayinka stated that the FCTA had made multiple announcements since 2023, till date in national newspapers and the broadcast media, urging property owners to settle their outstanding ground rents, but many still failed to comply.

“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 grant of Right of Occupancy, and it is due for payment on the first day of January, each year”.

Olayinka said the list of defaulting land titles was compiled from the ten oldest districts in Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City (FCC), which includes the 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 & A06)Wuse II (Cadastral Zone A07 & A08)
Guzape (Cadastral Zone A09).

According to the FCTA, 4,794 property owners in these districts have not paid their ground rent for ten years or more which violates the terms of their Rights of Occupancy under Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.

Consequently, the titles of these properties have been revoked with immediate effect and a 21-day grace period given to titleholders who have defaulted between one and ten years to make their payments.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Blessing Nyor