By Angela Atabo

The Federal Government has given owners of its titled properties 60-day notice to pay their outstanding ground rent and other statutory charges  or face revocation of their Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, gave the ultimatum on Wednesday in Abuja, at the 29^th Conference of Directors of Lands in the Federal and State Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference is “Equitable Land Stewardship: Challenges of Land Administration and its Impact on Climate and Community Rights’’.

“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 His Excellency, 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 said

According to the minister, the federal government is in a state of emergency regarding land administration, economy, security, and social development.

Dangiwa said that the ministry also observed activities of various residents’ associations in federal government landed properties preventing officials from accessing the estates for billing purposes and enforcement of non-payments.

“We want to warn such associations to comply with the terms and conditions outlined in their respective C of Os. Failure to adhere to these requirements will attract the appropriate penalties and sanctions,’’ he warned

He said that the ministry upscaled the Electronic Certificate of Occupancy (e-C of O) and Land Titling System for all federal government-owned lands in the 36 states of the country.

He explained that the e-C of O system incorporates a web-based Advanced Workflow System (WNABS) and an Electronic Documentation Management System (EDMS) to streamline the review, approval, and issuance of Certificates of Occupancy.

Dangiwa said that the new system had significantly reduced administrative bottlenecks and processing times for federal land applications.

He said that the innovative initiative has resulted in the digital approval of over 600 e C of O applications as of October 2024 with a target to clear the backlog before the end of December.

“This will be integrated within the larger framework of the national land titling program that we are implementing with the World Bank and other partners,’’ he said.

Dr Marcus Ogunbiyi, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said land use decisions must prioritise sustainability to mitigate the impacts of climate change, protect biodiversity, and ensure that future generations have access to vital natural resources.

“Land is not only an economic asset but also a cultural and social resource that holds deep significance for communities.

“Across Africa, land tenure is closely tied to identity, heritage, and community cohesion.

“Unfortunately, in many cases, communities especially rural and indigenous ones, are displaced or marginalised due to inadequate or inequitable land management practices.’’

Ogunbiyi, therefore, urged that in the pursuit of development, authorities should ensure that the rights of these communities were safeguarded.

He added that customary land rights should be recognised and the need for inclusion of local communities in land-use planning to promote fairness and avoid conflicts. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi