FCTA to Revoke 4,794 Abuja Properties Over Unpaid Ground Rent

 

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to revoke the titles of 4,794 properties across Abuja due to prolonged failure by their owners to pay statutory ground rent fees.

The decision was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary of the FCTA, Mr. Olusade Adesola, during a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday. He stated that the administration is taking decisive steps to enforce compliance with land use and financial obligations, noting that the affected property owners had been given ample time and multiple notices to settle their outstanding debts.

“The FCTA is taking legal and administrative action to revoke titles of 4,794 plots of land whose allottees have persistently failed to pay ground rent,” Mr. Adesola said. “This decision follows due process, including a published final notice urging defaulters to clear their debts within a stipulated deadline.”

Ground rent is a legally mandated annual fee payable by land allottees for the continued use of their allocated plots. It serves as a key revenue source for urban development and infrastructure maintenance within the FCT. The non-payment of these fees, officials say, undermines the administration’s capacity to deliver public services and implement capital projects.

Mr. Adesola explained that despite repeated reminders and public notices, many title holders continued to ignore their obligations, prompting the FCTA to move forward with revocation in accordance with the Land Use Act and other applicable laws.

The list of affected properties—spanning residential, commercial, and mixed-use plots—is expected to be published in national dailies and on the official FCTA website. The administration said repossessed plots would be reallocated to more responsible individuals and organizations through a transparent process.

Officials further urged other property owners within the FCT to use this as a wake-up call and settle any outstanding land-related fees promptly to avoid similar sanctions.

In recent months, the FCTA has ramped up enforcement of property-related regulations as part of its broader efforts to sanitize the territory’s land administration system and boost internally generated revenue.

This large-scale revocation move marks one of the most significant land enforcement actions by the FCTA in recent years and is expected to have far-reaching implications for real estate developers, estate owners, and absentee landlords in the nation’s capital.