Federal Government to Revoke Certificates of Occupancy Over Unpaid Ground Rent, Warns Housing Minister

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Dangiwa, has urged holders of federal Certificates of Occupancy (CofO) to pay their outstanding ground rent or risk losing their property titles.

Speaking on Wednesday at the 29th Conference of Directors of Lands, which took place in Abuja and involved officials from federal and state ministries, departments, and agencies, Dangiwa highlighted the issue of unpaid dues.

He noted, "The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is aware that numerous property owners have neglected to pay their ground rent and other statutory fees to the Ministry for years. This widespread non-payment has resulted in the Federal Government losing trillions of naira in potential revenue."

Dangiwa emphasized that this loss of revenue is unacceptable under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, stating, "These funds are crucial to achieving the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda for the benefit of Nigerians."

The minister then issued a directive to all federal CofO holders, giving them a 60-day deadline to clear any outstanding ground rent and statutory charges. Failure to comply within this period, he warned, would lead to the revocation of their Certificates of Occupancy.

Additionally, Dangiwa pointed out that some residents' associations have been obstructing ministry personnel from accessing federal properties for billing and enforcement purposes. He cautioned these associations to follow the conditions specified in their CofOs, warning that non-compliance would lead to penalties and sanctions.