President Bola Tinubu has stepped in to provide a temporary reprieve for thousands of property owners in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who defaulted in the payment of ground rents, following a major clampdown initiated by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

 

Speaking at an emergency press briefing on Monday evening, the Director of Land Administration in the FCTA, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, announced that President Tinubu’s intervention has resulted in a 14-day grace period for all affected property holders to settle their outstanding ground rents and associated penalties.

 

“By Mr. President’s intervention, holders of the affected properties now have 14 days to settle the outstanding Ground Rents, with associated penalties,” Nwankwoeze stated.

 

According to the FCTA, properties in the Central Area will attract a penalty of N5 million in addition to the ground rent owed. Those in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, and Guzape Districts will pay N3 million, while defaulters in Wuse I, Garki I, and Garki II will pay N2 million as penalty alongside their ground rent arrears.

 

Nwankwoeze further disclosed that property buyers who have not yet regularised their ownership through the mandatory Minister’s Consent and registration of Deeds of Assignment have also been given two weeks to complete the process at the FCT Department of Land Administration.

 

He added that the Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has extended the same 14-day grace period to all property holders to pay up their Right of Occupancy (R-of-O) and Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) bills. Failure to comply, he warned, will result in the revocation of affected land titles.

 

The director emphasized the importance of timely payment, stating:

“The Minister has advised property owners in the FCT to ensure that they pay all necessary bills and charges on their properties as at and when due, so as to enable the government to continue to carry out necessary developmental projects for the benefit of the people.”

 

The clampdown, which has already seen six high-profile properties sealed, is part of a broader effort to recover more than N6 billion in unpaid ground rent across the FCT.