34 embassies risk closure over unpaid ground rent in Abuja

Thirty-four foreign embassies in Nigeria’s capital could reportedly be shut down for failing to pay ground rent for 11 years.

Ground rent is money that property owners must pay the government for using land. The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), which manages Abuja, says these diplomatic missions collectively owe N3,662,196 since 2014.

On May 26, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike ordered enforcement action against 4,794 properties with unpaid ground rent spanning 10 to 43 years. However, President Bola Tinubu intervened, granting a 14-day grace period that ended Monday for property owners to settle outstanding payments.


FCTA’s Director of Land, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said defaulters would face penalty fees of N2 million to N3 million, depending on location.

Some organisations initially listed as defaulters —including the Peoples Democratic Party, Federal Inland Revenue Service, and anti-trafficking agency NAPTIP — have since paid their debts.


Which embassies owe money?

The defaulting embassies include missions from Ghana (N5,950), Thailand (N5,350), Russia (N1,100), Turkey (N3,350), Ireland (N500), Uganda (N5,950), Germany (N1,000), and Venezuela (N459,055).

The Zambia High Commission (N1,189,990), Indonesia’s Defence Attaché (N1,718,211), and Equatorial Guinea (N1,137,240) owe higher amounts. Other missions from Egypt, Chad, Sierra Leone, India, Sudan, Niger, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, China, and South Africa also appear on the list.

According to a report by The Punch, several embassies are denying the allegations


Russia’s embassy stated: “The Embassy pays all bills for the rent of the territory on which the Embassy complex is located in good faith and on time. The Embassy also has all the necessary documents confirming payment.”

The Punch also quoted a Turkish official saying: “We have not received a formal notification about the debt. We regularly make our payments on time, and we will check if we are on the list because of a bureaucratic mistake or a misunderstanding, and will fix the issue as soon as possible.” terry r



 

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