The Federal Capital Territory Administration has reaffirmed its stance on land ownership compliance in Abuja, stating that any property whose Certificate of Occupancy is revoked automatically reverts to the FCT Minister, who manages such land on behalf of the President.
This clarification was issued by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Strategic Communications to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, during an interview with Arise News on Monday night.
Olayinka confirmed that more than 1,000 property titles have already been marked for revocation following the expiration of a 14-day payment deadline on November 25.
The affected property owners reportedly failed to settle outstanding ground rent, land use conversion charges, and Certificate of Occupancy fees despite repeated notices.
He noted that compliance levels have improved significantly since the government published 4,794 notices earlier in the year. According to him, more than 3,900 property owners responded, representing over 80 percent compliance.
He added that while some concerns had been raised by affected individuals, the majority complied with the directives, especially regarding land use conversion charges, which now have a compliance rate of roughly 50 percent.
Olayinka explained that the legal basis for the revocations is clearly outlined in the Land Use Act. He referenced Section 28, subsections 5A and 5B, which state that violating the conditions attached to a Certificate of Occupancy automatically undermines the validity of that title.
Despite this, he said the FCTA has taken a considerate approach, ensuring that only significant breaches lead to withdrawal of titles while minor issues are treated with leniency.
Responding to criticisms that the administration had been too aggressive or inconsistent, Olayinka said the FCT Administration cannot compel every property owner individually and is not responsible for those who intentionally choose not to comply.
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He compared the situation to a classroom scenario where a teacher cannot be blamed if 80 out of 100 students pass, noting that non-compliant owners may have personal reasons or may no longer value the properties in question.
Addressing allegations of collusion and irregularities in land documentation processes, he acknowledged that isolated incidents might occur but rejected the idea of deliberate institutional malpractice.
The government, he said, does not arbitrarily invalidate property rights or fabricate grounds for revocation.
He also highlighted financial penalties for non-compliance, which range between ₦2 million and ₦5 million depending on the category of violations.
More than half of the affected properties undergoing conversion have already been captured in the system, and monitoring continues across multiple districts.
Olayinka emphasised that Abuja’s land administration is straightforward and predictable for those who follow the rules.
Obtaining proper allocation, submitting accurate documentation, and securing necessary approvals, he said, remain the surest ways to avoid disputes.
The real challenges arise when property owners bypass established procedures and later blame the government for enforcing existing regulations.
