‘Russia, France, S’Africa’ — FCTA publishes list of embassies owing $5.3m ground rent

February 13, 2024 8:29 pm

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT)

Nyesom Wike (in blue outfit)

The federal capital territory administration (FCTA) has published a list of embassies owing ground rent totalling $5.3 million in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

The list which has 43 embassies and high commissions in its “phase I – IV” was published across national dailies on Tuesday.

Some of the foreign countries with outstanding ground rent include Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Korea, Russia, France, Iraq, Italy, and Spain.

African countries on the list comprised Senegal, Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, and South Africa.

Zambia and Niger Republic had the most outstanding rents standing at two million dollars each.

The US embassy for peace came in next at $597,396.

The French embassy (French school) was at the bottom with $323.

The FCTA asked the defaulting diplomatic missions to pay their outstanding ground rents within two weeks or risk having their titles revoked.

“The FCT Administration hereby reminds the general public, particularly allottees of land(s) within the FCT of their obligation to the FCTA as stipulated in the covenanted terms of the Certificate of Occupancy to wit “to pay in advance, without demand to the Honorable Minister, FCT, the annual ground rent from the first day of January of each year,” the statement reads.

“All allottees, property owners as well as beneficiaries of the sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT who could not pay or settle their outstanding ground rents for the year 2023, are hereby advised in their interest to ensure payment within two (2) weeks from the date of this publication, failure of which such titles shall be revoked.’’

Others on the list include companies and individuals who are collectedly owing over N2 billion according to the FCTA.

Speaking earlier, Nyesom Wike, FCT minister, urged residents to pay their taxes and ground rents to allow for adequate funding of projects and infrastructure development in the territory.

“First of all, whether inflation or not, that’s why we are here, to solve problems. With the taxes people pay, we try as much as we can, to allocate it to the priority projects,” Wike said.

Again, we don’t allow variation. Why? Because we also try to pay as at when due, so the issue of variation does not come in.”

The minister called for the support of residents and assured that the paid taxes and ground rents are being managed judiciously to ensure the delivery of various projects.