President Tinubu Issues Two-Week Deadline for Abuja Property Rent Defaulters

By Achimi Muktar

Property owners in Abuja are on a tight deadline after President Bola Tinubu issued a 14-day grace period for the payment of overdue ground rent and penalties—or risk losing their prized assets for good.

The announcement, made by the Director of Lands at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Chijoke Nwankwoeze, comes on the heels of a massive clampdown that saw the revocation of 4,794 property rights across Nigeria’s capital due to long-standing rent defaults.

“The President has graciously approved a 14-day grace window for defaulters to settle their outstanding ground rent and avoid further enforcement actions,” Nwankwoeze said during a news briefing in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, the FCTA is owed over N6 billion in unpaid rent—some of it stretching back over four decades. The enforcement wave has already hit several prominent properties, including the People's Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretariat, Access Bank, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) offices, and the Chinese Cultural Centre, particularly in the bustling Wuse Zone 5 district.

Now, with Tinubu stepping in, property owners have a narrow two-week window to make things right—or risk permanent revocation of their rights.

If you own property in the FCT and are behind on payments, the cost of inaction could be devastating:

Central Area: ₦5 million penalty

Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, Guzape: ₦3 million

Wuse I, Garki I & II: ₦2 million

Beyond ground rent, Nwankwoeze warned that those who have acquired land but failed to obtain the Minister’s Consent or register their Deeds of Assignment must also act fast within the grace period to avoid penalties.

In a parallel move, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has issued a separate 14-day ultimatum for the payment of Right of Occupancy and Certificate of Occupancy charges. According to him, failure to comply will trigger revocations without further notice.

The FCTA insists that ground rent payments are critical to funding infrastructure and public services across Abuja, which continues to see population growth and rising urban demands.

As the countdown begins, one thing is clear: Abuja property owners who ignore this ultimatum could be watching their investments vanish overnight.