FCTA begins property revocations, sealing over ground rent, C-of-O defaults next week

By Ukpono Ukpong

15 January 2026

News

As part of a renewed revenue drive to fund ongoing projects in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has announced that it will begin revocation and sealing of properties over unpaid ground rents, Certificates of Occupancy and land use conversion fees from next week.

The decision was disclosed after the first FCTA Executive Council meeting for 2026, chaired by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, with officials warning that enforcement actions would target persistent defaulters across key districts of the capital.

Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Chidi Amadi, said the administration was determined to ensure continuity in project implementation, noting that financing remained a major challenge facing the territory.

He explained that the minister directed the Director of Land Administration and the Acting Chairman of the FCT Internal Revenue Service to brief the press on measures approved by EXCO to boost revenue generation.

Briefing journalists, Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said the council considered a report on compliance by property owners who defaulted in payments of ground rents, C-of-O charges and land use conversion fees and approved enforcement actions.

He recalled that the FCTA last year reviewed properties originally allocated for residential use but illegally converted to commercial purposes, including those along Aminu Kano Crescent, Adetokumba Ademola Crescent in Wuse 2, Yakubu Gowon Crescent, as well as parts of Area 7 and Area 8 in Garki.

Nwankwoeze said although the conversions violated the terms of the rights of occupancy, the FCTA carried out a detailed assessment and approved some conversions in line with planning standards, issuing letters of conveyance and outlining payments to be made by title holders.

According to him, while some property owners complied, many failed to pay despite repeated notifications and public notices in national dailies and on electronic and social media platforms.

“At today’s EXCO, a report of compliance with regards to defaults in payments of ground rents, C-of-O payments, and land use conversion fees were considered and the EXCO approved that there will be enforcement actions.

“You will recall that the FCTA took a very bold step last year to look at properties which have been in default with respect to their various land uses as originally allocated. We are talking of properties along Aminu Kano Crescent, Adetokumba Ademola Crescent Wuse 2, Yakubu Gowon Crescent, and most of the streets in Area 8 Garki, Area 7 Garki, and a number of other places where they were originally allocated as residential mostly and a few for other uses but have been converted to commercial land uses illegally.

“Those were violations of the terms and conditions of grant of those rights of occupancy. But the FCTA, having looked at the entire scenario and seeing that those places have actually been taken over and can actually be sustained for those some of those uses for which they are being used, did a very thorough analysis and converted them in line with planning standards. Letters of conveyance of approval were issued to the allottees, the title holders, and certain payments were to be made. Some have paid, some have not paid.

“There have been notifications and public notices in some national dailies and even electronic media and social media platforms asking property holders at such locations to come forward and pay.

“The council looked at the compliance rates and felt that there is need for enforcement actions. The council approved that as from next week the FCTA will embark on those enforcement actions and that would include revocation of the titles, sealing of the properties, and anything that is legal that the FCTA may deal with in the circumstance.”

He warned that from next week, the FCTA would move against defaulters, stating that owners owing ground rents, C-of-O payments and land use conversion charges must either comply or face enforcement.

The Director stressed that the action was necessary to protect the integrity of land administration and ensure that approved land uses and financial obligations were respected across the territory.

The enforcement drive, officials said, is expected to strengthen internally generated revenue and support the delivery of infrastructure and public services under the FCT administration’s 2026 agenda.

“So those defaulters and payments of ground rents, C-of-O payments, land use conversion fees and charges, are by this briefing notified that as from next week the FCTA will begin to enforce what it needs to enforce about those properties. So it’s left for you to comply or face whatever you see.” He said.