FCT EXCO RATIFIES AWARD OF MULTI-BILLION NAIRA CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRACTS

…DIRECTS RENEWED ENFORCEMENT AGAINST LAND REVENUE DEFAULTERS

By: Rabi Musa Umar

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Executive Committee (EXCO), chaired by the Honourable Minister of FCT, Barr. Ezenwo Nyesom Wike has ratified the award of several multi-billion Naira contracts aimed at enhancing critical infrastructure and essential services across the nation’s capital.

The EXCO, during its first meeting of 2026, held at the Minister’s official residence in Life Camp Abuja, reviewed and approved projects ranging from road rehabilitation to water security and educational facility management.

Briefing journalists following the meeting, the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Richard Yunana Dauda disclosed that the EXCO ratified the emergency rehabilitation and resurfacing of roads within the Presidential Villa at the cost of N3.79 billion to address over 30 years of wear and tear. Engr. Dauda said the intervention, which was carried out by Messrs. Julius Berger Plc, has successfully extended the lifespan of the vital access ways.

The Executive Secretary also disclosed that the EXCO considered and ratified the award of a ₦9.8 billion contract for the construction of the Kabusa/Ketti road to combat insecurity and improve connectivity. He said the project, which was fast-tracked due to previous cases of kidnapping in the area, was completed, commissioned in June 2025, and is currently in full use.

Furthermore, Engr. Dauda stated that the EXCO ratified an emergency N1.7 billion contract involving an urgent erosion control project and the restoration of main water transmission lines from the Lower Usuma Dam that supplies potable water to Abuja city. He said the project, awarded to SCC Nigeria Limited, was carried out to prevent a total collapse of the city’s water supply.

The Secretary for Education, Danlami Hayyo, on his part, revealed that the EXCO also ratified the award of a ₦62 million facility management contract for the high-tech Korea Model School, which was established in 2018 as a collaboration between the South Korean government and the FCT administration. He explained that the FCT Administration has fully taken over the school’s management to ensure the institution remains a standard-bearer for basic education in Abuja.

Also briefing journalists, the Director of Land Administration, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwoeze, disclosed that the EXCO has authorized immediate enforcement actions starting next week on the issue of unpaid ground rents and illegal land-use conversions in the FCT.

He said the renewed enforcement exercise follows the expiration of a grace period provided to property owners in areas such as Wuse II (Aminu Kano and Adetokunbo Ademola Crescents) and Garki (Areas 7 and 8), who converted residential properties to commercial use without paying the required conversion fees, as well as defaulters in the payment of ground rent and other associated land fees.

According to the Director of Land, “The FCTA took a very bold step last year to look at properties which have been in default with respect to their various land uses as originally allocated. We are talking of properties along Aminu Kano Crescent, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent in Wuse II, Yakubu Gowon Crescent, and most of the streets in Area 8 and Area 7 Garki, and some other places where they were originally allocated for mostly residential uses but have been converted for commercial land uses illegally. Those were violations of the conditions and terms of those rights of occupancy.

“But the FCTA, having looked at the entire scenario and seeing that those places have actually been taken over and can actually be sustained for some of those uses for which they are being used, did a very thorough analysis and converted them in line with planning standards. Letters of conveyance of approval were issued to the allottees – the title holders, and certain payments were to be made. Some have paid, some have not paid. There have been notifications and public notices in some national dailies and even electronic and social media platforms asking property holders at such locations to come forward and pay.

“The Council looked at the compliance rate and felt there is a need for enforcement actions. The Council approved that as from next week, the FCTA will embark on enforcement actions and that could include revocation of the titles, sealing of the properties and anything legal that the FCTA may deem fit in the circumstance”, the Director stated and urged the defaulters of ground rents, C of O payments and land use conversion fees and charges to comply with the directives.

The Acting Chairman of the FCT Inland Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), Mr Micheal Ango, while buttressing the position of the Director of Lands, reiterated that these revenues were essential for sustaining the world-class infrastructure currently being developed in the FCT and urged residents and allottees to settle all outstanding Ground Rents, C of O payments, and land-use charges immediately to avoid legal action.

While declaring the meeting open earlier, the FCT Minister had wished all members of the Exco committee a happy New Year while praying to the Almighty God to make the year a successful one for the FCT. He also assured residents of the FCTA’s resolve to do what was best for the residents of the FCT.

The meeting was attended by the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud; Head of Service, Nancy Sabanti Nathan; the Chief of Staff to the Minister; Mandate Secretaries; and some senior directors of the FCT Administration.