The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has slammed a N5 million fine on land allottees, who illegally converted residential plots to commercial use on Gana, Gimbiya, Aminu Kano, Ademola Adetokunbo and other selected streets in the city centre.
The decision was part of recommendations by an Adhoc Committee on the Review of Land Use/Purpose Clauses of Land and Properties at locations overtaken by commercial and other activities.
Recall that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had on August 8, 2025, inaugurated an ad-hoc committees on the review of controversies surrounding the River Park Estate, an another committee on the review of Land use/purpose clauses of land and properties at locations overtaken by commercial and other activities.
Both committee were given two-week within which to review the issues and submit recommendations back to the minister.
Presenting its report to the minister on Tuesday, the land use committee observed that majority of the structures on Gimbiya Street in Garki, Gana Street in Maitama, and the busy Ademola Adetokumbo Street in Wuse II had been converted to offices, hotels and other businesses without recourse to their original purpose clauses or necessary approval from the FCTA.
The committee, chaired by Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, also frowned at illegal extensions, mergers and subdivisions of properties in the affected areas.
It therefore recommended that the purpose clauses of the affected properties be formally converted to commercial or other compatible uses, subject to the payment of fresh fees.
With this development, title holders of the land and properties affected by the land use conversion are expected to pay a conversion fee of 7.5percent of the assessed Capital Value of their properties.
This is in addition to the payment of Statutory Right of Occupancy bills applicable for the new land use/purpose clause charged for the Districts.
Part of the report reads; “That, allottees/title holders of land and properties affected by the land use change/conversion, pay within thirty (30) days from the date of conveyance of approval, Land Use Conversion fee of 7.5% of the assessed Capital Value of the properties as contained in the Schedule/Valuation Report Sheet (VRS) at pages 54-70 and the Valuation Report annexed herein as Annexure E;
“That, allottees/title holders of the land and properties affected by the land use change/conversion, in addition to payment of Land Use Conversion fee, pay statutory Right of Occupancy bills applicable for the new land use/purpose clause and as charged for the District.”
The committee warned that where illegal or unapproved extensions, mergers or subdivisions had been established, title holders would in addition pay “extension/merger/subdivision fee of the extant 2.0% of the assessed Capital Value of the properties within thirty (30) days from the date of conveyance of approval.”
Failure to comply, the report stressed, would attract stiff enforcement. “All plot extensions, mergers and/or subdivisions not considered permissible be caused to be reversed to their approved state, failing which enforcement actions (sealing of property, removal of buildings/structures, revocation/withdrawal of titles, etc.) will be applied.”
In addition, the committee recommended that existing titles in respect of the affected properties be revoked to pave way for the issuance of fresh title documents reflecting the new land use status. It added: “The title documents to be issued to the allottees/holders of the affected land and properties on the selected streets/locations, be for a fresh lease term of ninety-nine (99) years.”
The committee also called for traffic control, power upgrade and waste management improvements in the affected neighbourhoods, and directed holders of undeveloped plots in the Central Business District and Sector Centres within Phase II to immediately commence development or risk revocation within three months.
Responding after receiving the report, FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, warned that it would no longer be business as usual for those flouting the city’s land use laws.
He said: “I’m aware that certain areas are designated for residential and others for commercial, but people believe they can do anything without approval, converting residential to commercial, commercial to residential, and all kinds of mixed uses. If you don’t sanction them, it will continue. So if an area is commercial, let it be commercial. If it is mixed use, let it be mixed use. People should understand they can’t continue this way.”
Wike insisted that sanctions would be strictly enforced, including the withdrawal of titles. “We must let you know that we have to apply the sanction as required, and anybody who does not comply, we have no choice but to revoke the title and withdraw it,” the minister stated.