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FCT minister, Wike gives land allotees 21 days to pay or lose offer
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has given land allottees 21 days to pay all statutory Right of Occupancy (R of O) bills and charges or lose the offer.
Mr Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.
Olayinka explained that the measure was part of the broad and comprehensive reforms on land administration in the FCT, approved by the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike.
He said that the reforms, which would become operational from April 21, covers specific areas like conditions of grant of statutory R of O, and contents of the statutory R of O bill.
Others, he said, would include contents of Letter of Acceptance/Refusal of offer of grant of R o O, titling of mass housing and sectional interests, as well as regularisation of area council land documents.
He explained that the crux of the sweeping reforms in the FCT land administration would ensure the regularisation of land allocations in area councils and title of mass housing properties in favour of buyers.
He added that the land allottees were also expected to develop allocated lands within two years.
Olayinka noted that before now, deadline for payment of bills, rents, fees and charges were not specified in the statutory R of O bill, with no penalty for failure to make payment promptly.
According to him, the non-collection of R of O and non-payment of bills has caused delay in revenue generation due to the FCTA.
“It has also caused slower pace of infrastructural development and promote sustained land speculation and racketeering.
“Also, huge expenses have been incurred by the FCT Administration through repeated advertisements and publications notifying the public on the need for collection of R of O and timely payment of bills and charges.
“Consequently, as against the unspecified period within which to collect the R of O and make full payment of the bills and charges, land allottees now have 21 days from the date of offer to make full payment of all bills, fees, rents and charges prescribed on offers, and submit a duly completed letter of acceptance alongside evidence of payments or lose the offer.”
The spokesman added that FCTA had equally given land allottees two years from the date of the commencement of the R of O to erect and complete development on any land granted in the FCT.
This, according to him, is against the lengthy or unspecified period within which to develop allocated lands.
“Therefore, any R of O bills and other payments made outside the stipulated 21 days shall be considered invalid while any land granted should be developed within two years,” he said.
Also, the Director of Land Administration, FCTA, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said this was the first time the Administration had reviewed its land administration to improve efficiency.
Nwankwoeze said that with this development, allottees would no longer hold their R of O in their house and assumed they owned a land in FCT.
He said that beginning from April 21, any offer of R of O must be paid for within 21 days of offer to validate acceptance.
“So, acceptance of the offer of statutory R of O in the FCT is now tied to payments of the accompanied bills,” he said.
The director of land also said that for lands allocated in the area councils, the allottees would be expected to make all payments within 60 days.
By Francesca Hangeior
President Bola Tinubu has stated that the Federal Government is taking concrete steps to protect the dignity and future of every Nigerian child, even as he said plans have been concluded to establish a Child Protection and Development Agency to coordinate all issues affecting Nigerian children in a unified and focused manner.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday during the first regional meeting of the Africa Pathfinder Countries of the Global Alliance on Ending Violence Against Children.
The event was held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The president was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
Tinubu said his administration is taking concrete steps to protect the dignity and future of every Nigerian child.
“Our legal frameworks reflect our conviction. From the Child Rights Act to the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, Nigeria has laid down the statutory foundation for the protection of children.
“But legislation alone does not shield the vulnerable — it is the will behind those laws, and the systems that enforce them, that make the difference.
“That is why our national strategy also embraces prevention and early intervention.
“We are strengthening families and communities through programmes that promote positive parenting, challenge harmful social norms, and provide targeted support to vulnerable households. But we must be honest with ourselves. We cannot protect the child by merely reciting the anthems of their struggles or romanticising their vulnerability, Tinubu said.
He stated that the real hope lies in action — concrete, deliberate action.
“Our commitment must run deep, reaching into the very architecture of our education and health systems. This is the soul of our human capital development strategy,” he said.
Tinubu added that every Nigerian child should grow and learn in a safe environment.
“We aim to ensure that every Nigerian child has the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive in a safe and nurturing environment. This is not simply a policy objective; it is a moral obligation.
“We are investing in safe schools and embedding socio-emotional learning into our national curriculum.
“We are rolling out the National Guidelines on Alternative Care to ensure that even children without parental care are raised in love, safety, and stability,” he said.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, on Friday announced the release of the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, results.
The board disclosed that it is withholding the results of 39,834 candidates over issues relating to examination irregularities.
Recall that over 1.9 million applicants participated in the just-concluded exercise.
JAMB also disclosed that 80 suspects across the country are currently under interrogation for examination fraud, with Anambra State leading the pack with 14 suspects.
JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, stated this on Friday while officially releasing the 2025 UTME.
He also disclosed that while 467 underage candidates met the prescribed minimum score, 50 were engaged in cheating scandal.
A press conference to this effect is ongoing.
Details coming…
The Oloba of Oba-Ile in Akure North Council Area of Ondo State, Oba Joseph Oluwadare Agunbiade, Otutubiosun 1
has joined his ancestors.
Oba Agunbiade who passed on Friday morning reigned for 39 years .
He was aged 84 years.
Sources told newsmen that traditional announcement of the monarch’s demise is however being awaited.
Details shortly…
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