The Federal Government has issued a 60-day ultimatum to property owners with federal titles nationwide, requiring them to pay any outstanding ground rent and statutory charges or risk losing their Certificates of Occupancy (C of O).
This announcement was made by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Musa Dangiwa, during the 29th Conference of Directors of Lands in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in Abuja. The event was covered by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
With the theme “Equitable Land Stewardship: Challenges of Land Administration and Its Impact on Climate and Community Rights,” the conference gathered stakeholders from both federal and state agencies to discuss pressing land administration issues.
Dangiwa highlighted that a significant number of property owners have defaulted on required payments, leading to a loss of trillions of naira in government revenue. He emphasized that the Ministry, under the current administration, would no longer tolerate such defaults, as these funds are vital for national development.
“The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is aware that numerous owners of its titled properties have failed to meet their obligations in paying ground rent and other statutory charges for several years. This non-compliance has cost the Federal Government trillions of naira in lost revenue,” Dangiwa said.
He further stressed that, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, such negligence is unacceptable. “This revenue is crucial to delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda to Nigerians,” Dangiwa stated. He warned that if property owners fail to settle their outstanding payments within the 60-day window, their C of O titles will be revoked.
Additionally, the minister pointed out that some residents’ associations in federal estates have hindered ministry officials from carrying out billing activities and enforcing payment compliance. He cautioned that these associations must adhere to the terms of their Certificates of Occupancy to avoid sanctions.
Dangiwa also provided updates on the Ministry’s efforts to improve the land titling process, revealing that the Ministry has enhanced the Electronic Certificate of Occupancy (e-C of O) and Land Titling System for federal lands across Nigeria. The new system incorporates a web-based Advanced Workflow System (WNABS) and an Electronic Documentation Management System (EDMS), aimed at streamlining the review, approval, and issuance of titles, thereby reducing bureaucratic delays.
As of October 2024, over 600 e-C of O applications have been digitally approved, with plans to address the remaining backlog by December. This initiative is part of a broader national land titling program developed in collaboration with the World Bank and other partners, aiming to unlock $300 billion in untapped capital from unregistered land.
