The federal government has issued a 60-day notice to all federal Certificates-of-Occupancy title owners in Nigeria, demanding the payment of outstanding debts or facing full revocation of their land documents.
At the 29th Conference of Directors of Lands in Abuja, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, emphasized that the ongoing non-compliance has led to the loss of trillions of naira in revenue for the federal government, according to Arise News.
During the opening ceremony of the two-day event, Dangiwa also noted that various residents’ associations managing federal government lands have been obstructing ministry staff from accessing estates for billing and enforcement purposes related to non-payments.
The conference was themed, “Equitable Land Stewardship: Challenges of Land Administration and its Impact on Climate Change and Community Rights.”
Dangiwa said, “I want to use this occasion to address pertinent issues that are hampering the ability of government to maximise the revenue earning potential of its landed assets. The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development is aware that several owners of its titled properties have failed to pay ground rent and other statutory charges to the ministry for several years now.
“This non-compliance has resulted in the loss of trillions of naira in revenue to the federal government. Under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, this cannot be tolerated, as this revenue is much needed to deliver the Renewed Hope Agenda to Nigerians.
“As such, all federal C of O title owners are hereby given a 60-day notice to settle all outstanding ground rent and statutory charges. Failure to make payment within this period will result in the revocation of their C of Os.”
He identified several challenges in land administration in Nigeria, including the complexity of the country’s land laws, particularly the Land Use Act of 1978, which he noted continues to create significant obstacles.
Dangiwa also pointed out that the lengthy, costly, and complicated processes for land titling and registration discourage many Nigerians from formalizing land ownership.
Additionally, he highlighted the lack of formal land titles, which hampers landowners’ ability to access credit and utilize their land as a financial asset, especially in rural areas.
Dangiwa emphasized the conflict between formal legal structures and customary land tenure systems, particularly in rural areas, which creates uncertainty and impedes land transactions.
He also highlighted several other challenges, including limited access to land information, conflicting land laws and policies, inefficient dispute resolution mechanisms, corruption, land grabbing, and non-compliance with statutory obligations concerning government-owned land assets.
According to him, the slow and ineffective processes for resolving land disputes contribute to prolonged conflicts that hinder development, remaining a significant challenge in the sector.
Dangiwa stated that the ministry is prioritizing land governance issues and has made significant strides, including the establishment of a new regime of revised rates for crops and economic trees that is fair, equitable, and ensures adequate compensation for individuals affected by government projects.
He also noted that the ministry is collaborating with the World Bank to tackle Nigeria’s longstanding land registration challenges, as over 90% of the country’s land remains unregistered, resulting in an estimated $300 billion in dead capital.
“Let me state that we are still in a state of emergency regarding our level of land administration. It is, in fact, a national economic, security, and social development risk. We must understand this and resolve to act with the urgency that is required,” he added.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi said that equitable land stewardship requires a balanced approach to land management, considering not only economic development but also environmental protection and social justice.
“As Africa confronts the realities of climate change ranging from desertification in the Sahel to rising sea levels in coastal regions, our land administration systems must evolve to support climate resilience,” Ogunbiyi noted.
