Thirty-four embassies in Abuja face potential closure by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) due to unpaid ground rent dating back to 2014. A publication by the FCTA listed diplomatic missions collectively owing over N3.6 million.
The list includes the embassies of Ghana, Thailand, Côte d’Ivoire, Russia, the Philippines, Netherlands, Turkey, Guinea, Ireland, Uganda, Iraq, Zambia, Tanzania, Germany, DR Congo, Venezuela, Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, Chad, Sierra Leone, India, Sudan, Niger, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, and Indonesia. Also listed are the European Union, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, China, South Africa, and Equatorial Guinea.
Despite the list, some missions, including Russia, Germany, and Turkey, have denied owing any debts. Russia said it had settled all obligations and has the documents to prove it. Germany and Turkey also questioned the FCTA’s claims and promised to verify or resolve any discrepancies.
The Ghana High Commission acknowledged seeing the publication but stated it had not received formal communication and would consult the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Similar sentiments were echoed by Sierra Leone and other missions.
On May 26, the FCTA revoked 4,794 titles over unpaid rent, with the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, ordering enforcement. However, President Bola Tinubu granted a 14-day grace period, expiring today, for defaulters to settle.
The Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said penalty fees range from N2 million to N3 million depending on location.
Among other institutions previously listed as defaulters, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) have all reportedly resolved their rent issues.
FIRS confirmed payment of N2.36 million following a September 2023 demand notice, while NAPTIP also cleared its outstanding dues.
Reacting to denials from some embassies, the FCT Minister’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, said the administration would investigate such claims.
Former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, cited the Vienna Convention, urging a diplomatic approach while recognising that missions must still observe local property laws.
Foreign affairs analyst Charles Onunaiju cautioned against enforcement actions, warning they could breach international diplomatic protocols and trigger fallout.
