ABUJA, Nigeria — Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has granted a final 14-day grace period to property owners who violated Abuja’s land use regulations to pay a ₦5 million penalty and other applicable charges or face enforcement action.
The directive, announced in a statement on Sunday, November 9, 2025, by Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to the Minister on Public Communications and Social Media, comes after the expiration of an earlier 30-day deadline set in September.
Wike had in early September sanctioned several property owners for converting residential properties to commercial use without official approval.
The minister said the conversion of buildings in areas such as Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, and Garki into hotels, offices, and restaurants had violated Abuja’s master plan.
According to the statement, the minister’s latest decision provides a final window for defaulters to comply, beginning Tuesday, November 11, 2025.
“The Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), His Excellency, Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, has magnanimously granted a final grace period of 14 calendar days from Tuesday, November 11, 2025, for all affected allottees or holders of properties along the said streets and locations to comply with the terms and conditions of the approval for land use change or conversion,” the statement reads.
“Failure to comply within the stated 14-calendar-day grace period will result in enforcement actions by the FCT Administration.”
The affected areas include Gana Street and Usuma Street in Maitama; Yakubu Gowon Crescent in Asokoro; Aminu Kano Crescent and Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent in Wuse II; Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Gimbiya Street, and Onitsha Street in Garki II; and Ogbomosho Street, Lafia Close, Yola Street, Abriba Close, Danbatta Street, Ringim Close, and Ilorin Street in Garki I.
Among those named as affected property owners are Abdullahi Ganduje, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Governor of Osun State; Atanda Fatai-Williams and Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, both retired Justices of the Supreme Court; and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
Olayinka said property owners who comply within the 14-day window will be eligible to obtain new title documents reflecting the updated land use.
“The Honourable Minister has, in addition, graciously approved the issuance of new title documents — Statutory Right of Occupancy and Certificate of Occupancy — in favour of the affected property owners, reflecting the updated land use of the properties for a fresh term of 99 years, upon fulfilling all necessary conditions,” he said.
He clarified, however, that the current regularisation exercise does not cover properties whose titles were previously revoked for non-development, failure to pay ground rent, or other violations.
Wike, who has repeatedly vowed to restore Abuja’s master plan, said the administration would not tolerate illegal land conversions or defiance of planning laws.
With the latest grace period set to expire on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, property owners who fail to comply risk demolition, sealing, or revocation of titles.
