The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced it will commence taking possession of 4,794 plots revoked over non-payment of ground rent starting Monday, May 26, 2025.

This announcement was made during a press briefing on Friday by the FCT Minister's Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, alongside the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, and Director of Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima.

According to Galadima, ownership of the revoked properties in the Central Area, Garki I and II, Wuse I and II, Asokoro, Maitama, and Guzape districts has already reverted to the FCTA. "As from Monday, next week, the government will begin to exercise its rights of ownership on the affected landed properties," he stated.

The Development Control director explained that affected properties will be sealed up and access to them restricted beginning Monday. He emphasized that this action would be carried out "without consideration as to ownership of the affected landed properties" and "purely in line with extant laws and regulations guiding the process."

Addressing claims that some property owners had gone to court, Galadima clarified that there was no court decision on the revocation, and therefore, the FCTA is not restricted in carrying out its lawful functions regarding the affected properties.

Chijioke Nwankwoeze, the Director of Land Administration, disclosed that the FCTA is currently compiling records of compliance and non-compliance of title holders who were in default of ground rent payment for between one and ten years. These defaulters had been given a grace period of 21 days to settle their debts.

"We will act accordingly as soon as the records are fully compiled and analyzed," Nwankwoeze said.

The FCTA official recalled that on March 18, 2025, the administration had informed the public about the revocation of 4,794 land titles in prime districts of Abuja. These properties were among a total of 8,375 land titles on which ground rent had not been paid for periods ranging from one year to 43 years.

At the time of the March announcement, a total of N6,967,980,119 was being owed as ground rent by 8,375 property owners across the ten oldest districts of Phase 1 of the Federal Capital City.

The FCTA emphasized that payment of ground rent on landed properties in the FCT is founded on extant legislation and is clearly stipulated in the terms and conditions of grant of Right of Occupancy. Ground rent is due for payment on the first day of January each year, without demand.

The revocation was carried out in line with the provisions of Section 28, Subsections 5(a) and (b) of the Land Use Act, as the non-payment contravenes the terms and conditions of grant of the Rights of Occupancy.

The FCTA has stated that it will decide what to do with the affected properties in due course, as it begins to exercise its lawful rights of taking possession of these revoked properties from Monday.