The FCT Administration has slammed a N5 million fine on developers who illegally converted residential plots in busy neighbourhoods of Abuja to commercial use.
The decision was part of recommendations by the Adhoc Committee on the Review of Land Use/Purpose Clauses of Land and Properties at locations overtaken by commercial and other activities.
The land use committee observed that a majority of the structures on Gimbiya Street in Garki Area 11, Gana Street in Maitama, and the busy Ademola Adetokumbo Street in Wuse II had been converted to offices, hotels and other businesses instead of the residential purposes they were originally designed for.
The committee, chaired by Director of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, also frowned at illegal extensions, mergers, and subdivisions of properties in the affected areas.
It also recommended that since the properties had been converted into commercial uses by their owners, the administration should formally convert the original purpose clause of the affected properties to commercial use, subject to the payment of fresh fees.
With this development, title holders of the land and properties affected by the land use conversion are expected to pay a conversion fee of 7.5percent of the assessed Capital Value of their properties.
This is in addition to the payment of statutory Right of Occupancy bills applicable for the new land use/purpose clause charged for the Districts.
Accordingto the report: "That, allottees/title holders of land and properties affected by the land use change/conversion, pay within thirty (30) days from the date of conveyance of approval, Land Use Conversion fee of 7.5% of the assessed Capital Value of the properties as contained in the Schedule/Valuation Report Sheet (VRS) at pages 54-70 and the Valuation Report annexed herein as Annexure E;
"That, allottees/title holders of the land and properties affected by the land use change/conversion, in addition to payment of Land Use Conversion fee, pay statutory Right of Occupancy bills applicable for the new land use/purpose clause and as charged for the District."
Some of the plot locations in the first batch for the proposed land use review include: Gana street, Maitama, Usma street, Maitama, Yakubu Gowon Street, Asokoro, Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2,Ademola Adetokumbo crescent, Wuse II, Ladoke Akintola Boulevard, Garki II, Gimbiya Street, Garki II, Onitsha Street, Garki II, Ogbomosho street, Garki I, Lafia close, Garki I, Yola street, Garki I, Abiriba Close, Garki, Lambata street, Garki I, Ringim Close, Garki I, as well as Ilorin street, Garki I.
The committee warned that where illegal or unapproved extensions, mergers, or subdivisions had been established, title holders would, in addition, pay “extension/merger/subdivision fee of the extant 2.0% of the assessed Capital Value of the properties within thirty (30) days from the date of conveyance of approval.”
Failure to comply, the report stressed, would attract stiff enforcement.
“All plot extensions, mergers and/or subdivisions not considered permissible will be caused to be reversed to their approved state, failing which enforcement actions (sealing of property, removal of buildings/structures, revocation/withdrawal of titles, etc.) will be applied.”
The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had on August 8, 2025, inaugurated an ad-hoc committee on the review of controversies surrounding the River Park Estate, another committee on the review of Land use/purpose clauses of land and properties at locations overtaken by commercial and other activities.
