Wike gives final 14-day ultimatum to FCT land use defaulters

Wike gives final 14-day ultimatum to FCT land use defaulters

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has given a final 14-day ultimatum to property owners in Abuja who have violated land use regulations to pay a ₦5 million conversion fee or face enforcement action.

The directive was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka.

According to the statement, the grace period begins on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, and affects property owners in Asokoro, Maitama, Garki, and Wuse districts who have converted their buildings from residential to commercial use without approval.

Olayinka said the new deadline follows the expiration of an earlier 30-day grace period given by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for affected allottees and title holders to regularize their properties.

“Failure to comply within the stated 14 calendar days grace period will result in enforcement actions by the FCT Administration,” the statement warned.

He explained that the measure is part of Wike’s strategy to encourage voluntary compliance before the government begins a tougher enforcement phase.

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“The Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, His Excellency, Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has magnanimously granted a final grace period of 14 calendar days from Tuesday, November 11, 2025, for all affected allottees and title holders to comply with the terms and conditions of the approval for land use change or conversion,” it added.

The statement listed the affected areas as:

• Gana Street, Maitama District
• Usuma Street, Maitama District
• Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Asokoro District
• Aminu Kano Crescent and Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II District
• Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Gimbiya Street, and Onitsha Street, Garki II District
• Ogbomosho Street, Lafia Close, Yola Street, Abriba Close, Danbatta Street, Ringim Close, and Ilorin Street, all in Garki I District.

In September, the FCTA had fined several property owners for converting residential buildings into commercial premises without official approval. The decision followed a city-wide inspection by the Department of Development Control which found multiple breaches of the FCT Land Use Act.

Minister Wike, since assuming office, has repeatedly vowed to restore the Abuja Master Plan, targeting unapproved conversions, illegal structures, and environmental violations.

The administration said it remains committed to ensuring that property development in the capital city aligns with approved zoning regulations and urban planning standards.

Wike gives final 14-day ultimatum to FCT land use defaulters