The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced that it will begin taking possession of 4,794 properties across Abuja from Monday, May 26, 2025, following their revocation due to long-term non-payment of ground rent. This action comes after defaulters failed to meet obligations spanning between 10 and 43 years.

The development was confirmed on Friday, May 23, during a joint press briefing in Abuja by key FCTA officials, including the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka; the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze; and the Director of the Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima.

According to the officials, ownership of the revoked properties located in prime districts such as Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape, has legally reverted to the FCTA. “As from Monday, next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties,” they stated. “This will be done without consideration as to ownership of the affected properties. It will be purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process.”

Galadima explained that from Monday, May 26, the properties will be sealed and access restricted, pending further directives on their eventual use or reallocation. On reports that some property owners had gone to court, Nwankwoeze clarified that there were no judicial restrictions or rulings barring the FCTA from proceeding with enforcement actions.

Nwankwoeze also revealed that the administration is reviewing the compliance status of additional title holders who were given a 21-day grace period to clear rent arrears ranging from one to 10 years. “The government will act accordingly as soon as the records are fully compiled and analyzed,” he said.

He recalled that the initial revocation of the 4,794 titles was announced on March 18, 2025, affecting plots in the 10 oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City, including Cadastral Zones A00 to A09. “These 4,794 properties were among the 8,375 land titles on which ground rent was not paid from one year to 43 years,” he said. “As at then, a total of N6.97 billion was being owed as ground rent.”

The non-payment of ground rent, officials noted, constitutes a breach of the terms and conditions tied to the Right of Occupancy, as stipulated under Section 28(5)(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act.

“Payment of ground rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation,” Nwankwoeze added. “It is due for payment on the first day of January each year, without demand.”

The FCTA emphasized that the enforcement will be carried out by relevant agencies of government in accordance with the law.