Ganduje, Oyinlola, others affected as Wike slams N5m fine on Abuja landlords for converting homes to commercial use

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has slammed N5 million each on Abuja landlords and property owners for converting their buildings to other uses without approval.

According to TheCable, this was contained in a notice published by the Federal Capital Territory (FCTA) in national dailies on Monday, September 8, 2025.

The notice said the minister has given the property owners 30 days to regularise their titles.

Most of the properties were converted from residential to commercial use.

“This is to notify the general public, particularly allottees/title holders of properties, that the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), his excellency, barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, has approved a reviewed land use/purpose clause of properties on the underlisted streets/locations of the federal capital city (FCC),” the notice reads.

“All affected allottees/holders of properties who, without approval, converted the land use of their properties on the above listed streets/locations, having violated the terms and conditions of grant of the right of occupancy, are hereby given thirty (30) days from Wednesday, 10 of September, 2025, to pay a penalty/violation fee of five million naira (N5,000,000.00).

“The allottees/title holders should visit the FCTA department of land administration at No. 4 Peace Drive, Central Business District, Abuja, with their original title documents and valid means of identification, for collection of their respective letters of conveyance of approval for the land use change/conversion containing details of the new land use and the applicable fees.

“Under this exercise, 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 ninety-nine (99) years, upon fulfilling all necessary conditions.”

The properties are located in the Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse II, Garki II and Garki I districts of Abuja.

The FCTA said the consideration for issuance of new title documents—statutory right of occupancy and certificate of occupancy—for the property conversion does not cover land and property titles earlier withdrawn/revoked due to non-development, non-payment of ground rent, and/or other reasons.

Some of the affected property owners include Abdullahi Ganduje, former national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Olagunsoye Oyinlola, ex-governor of Osun; Atanda Fatai-Williams and Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, former justices of the Supreme Court; and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.