The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration has handed down a heavy penalty to prominent property owners in Abuja, slamming a ₦5 million fine on each for illegally converting residential houses into commercial spaces.
The sanction, announced in a public notice published Monday, was approved by Nyesom Wike, minister of the FCT, who has given those affected a 30-day ultimatum to regularise their titles or face further consequences.
According to the directive, the majority of the violations involve prime properties in Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, and Garki districts — some of the most expensive neighbourhoods in the nation’s capital.
Among the high-profile names listed are Abdullahi Ganduje, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Osun; Atanda Fatai-Williams and Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, both retired justices of the Supreme Court; and even the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.
The FCT administration said owners must not only pay the fine but also approach its land administration department with their original title documents and identification to obtain formal approval for the change of use.
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Those who comply will be issued fresh statutory rights of occupancy and new certificates of occupancy valid for 99 years.
However, the notice made clear that the exercise does not cover properties already revoked for reasons such as non-development or failure to pay ground rent.
For Wike, who has built a reputation as a no-nonsense enforcer since taking charge of the FCT, the move is part of a broader campaign to restore order to Abuja’s urban planning. “The rules are clear,” an FCTA official said. “Residential areas are not to be turned into commercial hubs without proper approval. This enforcement is long overdue.”
The deadline for compliance is October 10, 2025.