Final 14-Day Grace Period for Property Owners in FCT
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has announced a final 14-day grace period for property owners in several districts to settle a N5m penalty for violating approved land-use regulations. This directive was made public through a statement released by the minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.
The grace period is set to expire on November 25, 2025, with all affected allottees required to comply by this date or face enforcement actions from the FCT Administration. According to Olayinka, the minister has given defaulters a final chance to meet the terms and conditions of land-use change and conversion.
“The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has granted defaulters of the land use/purpose clause of properties in Asokoro, Maitama, Garki and Wuse districts… a final grace period of 14 days to comply with the terms and conditions of the approval for land-use change and conversion,” Olayinka stated.
Owners are required to pay a violation fee of N5m and other applicable fees within the 14-day window. Failure to do so will result in enforcement measures being taken by the FCT Administration. The initial directive, which included a N5m fine payable within 30 days, was approved by the minister on September 3, 2025. This decision followed a report submitted by a ministerial committee tasked with addressing land-use abuses.
In addition to the N5m fine, Wike also approved a 7.5 per cent charge on the assessed capital value of properties that were converted without the knowledge or permission of the FCT Administration. This charge must be paid within 30 days.
Following this, the administration published the names of 374 defaulting property and title holders, urging them to pay the fines within the stipulated period. However, Olayinka explained that the minister had “magnanimously granted a final grace period of 14 calendar days” for all affected allottees to comply with the terms and conditions of land-use regularisation.
Affected Areas and Properties
The properties impacted by the directive are located in several areas across the FCT. These include:
- Maitama: Gana and Usuma Streets
- Asokoro: Yakubu Gowon Crescent
- Wuse II: Aminu Kano and Adetokunbo Ademola Crescents
- Garki II: Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Gimbiya and Onitsha Streets
Other locations include:
- Garki I: Ogbomosho Street, Lafia Close, Yola Street, Abriba Close, Danbatta Street, Ringim Close and Ilorin Street
Benefits for Compliant Owners
Property owners who regularise their land use within the grace period will receive new title documents reflecting the updated use and a renewed 99-year term. The statement said:
“The honourable Minister has… approved the issuance of new title documents (Statutory Right of Occupancy and Certificate of Occupancy)… upon fulfilling all necessary conditions.”
However, the statement clarified that the consideration for the issuance of new title documents does not apply to land titles already withdrawn or revoked for non-development, non-payment of ground rent, or other infractions.