CBN, First Bank, BUA Among Top Abuja Land Defaulters: FCTA Revokes Over 1,000 Property Titles
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has officially listed more than 1,000 property owners, including major banks and companies, for defaulting on statutory land charges in Abuja. Among the high-profile names are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), First Bank of Nigeria, and BUA International Limited, highlighting persistent issues in land administration.
According to the FCTA, 1,095 property titles have been revoked due to unpaid ground rent, certificate of occupancy fees, land use conversion charges, and other penalties. The affected areas include some of Abuja’s most expensive districts, such as Asokoro, Maitama, Garki, and Wuse, signalling significant revenue loss for the territory. Enforcement actions on these properties are set to begin imminently.
The defaulting list spans a mix of public institutions and private firms. Federal agencies such as the Nigerian Television Authority, Nigerian Ports Authority, and Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission are implicated, alongside private companies like Ibeto Cement, MRS Investments, Urban Shelter, and Pokobros Group. The list also includes several banks, hotels, real estate developers, and defunct financial institutions.
In addition to unpaid ground rent, the FCTA identified organizations defaulting on land use conversion fees, including Zenith Bank Plc, Union Bank, United Bank for Africa, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, and religious institutions like the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja. These enforcement measures are part of a broader initiative to regulate land use and ensure compliance with statutory obligations.
The FCTA described the revocations and pending enforcement actions as part of a broader strategy to sanitize Abuja’s land administration system, boost government revenue, and enforce accountability among both public and private property owners. Officials emphasized that repeated notices had been issued to defaulters before the drastic step of revocation was taken.
source: Businessday