The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has introduced a series of land administration reforms, including a new law that mandates the revocation of undeveloped plots two years after the issuance of Rights of Occupancy.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the Director of Land Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said the new reforms will take effect from April 21, 2025.
Key highlights of the reforms include:
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Clear conditions for the grant and acceptance of Statutory Rights of Occupancy.
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Provisions for titling in mass housing projects and sectional interests.
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Regularization of land documents issued by Area Councils.
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Introduction of deadlines for payments and penalties for non-compliance.
Nwankwoeze noted that the previous absence of payment deadlines in the Statutory Right of Occupancy framework caused revenue delays, slowed infrastructure development, and encouraged land speculation.
To address these issues:
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Allottees now have 21 days from the date of offer to pay all prescribed fees and submit an acceptance letter with proof of payment. Failure to do so will void the offer.
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Land granted in the FCT must now be developed within two years of the commencement of the R-of-O. Any development outside this timeframe risks revocation.
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Payments made beyond the 21-day window will be considered invalid.
Regarding Area Council lands, the Director reiterated that all land in the FCT is considered urban, and as such, documents issued by Area Councils must be regularized to statutory titles.
He revealed that out of 261,914 land documents submitted by Area Councils for regularization since 2006, only 2,358 have been fully processed and upgraded to statutory titles—just 3.2% of total submissions.
Once vetted and approved, recipients of regularized Area Council land documents will have 60 days to complete payment. Failure to do so will render the offer invalid.