FCT Minister Publishes List of Foreign Embassies Owing Ground Rent in Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has released a list of foreign embassies and high commissions that owe ground rent in Abuja, totaling $5.36 million. In a memo titled "Final Notice on Payment of Outstanding Ground Rent in the FCT," the affected organizations were given a two-week ultimatum to settle their debts.

The list, published in national dailies on Tuesday, February 13, includes 43 embassies and high commissions categorized into "phase I – IV." Some of the countries with outstanding ground rent include Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Korea, Russia, France, Iraq, Italy, and Spain. African countries on the list include Senegal, Cote D'Ivoire, Algeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia, and South Africa.

The notice warned that failure to pay within the stipulated period would result in the revocation of titles. The memo advised all allottees, property owners, and beneficiaries of the sale of Federal Government Houses in the FCT to settle their outstanding ground rents for 2023 within two weeks.