Nigeria: Wike Signs 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy in Abuja in Three Years

What the report says

The Federal Capital Territory Administration says Minister Nyesom Wike has signed 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy in Abuja over the past three years, according to a statement reported by Premium Times and distributed by AllAfrica. The claim was presented as part of the Tinubu administration’s effort to improve the ease of doing business in the capital and support the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Lere Olayinka, a media aide to Wike, said the number is far higher than certificates signed in previous periods cited by the administration. The statement compared the figure with 8,697 produced and signed between 2010 and 2023, and said many recipients had received their land allocations more than a decade ago. It also said the process has been streamlined so that, after required payments are completed, beneficiaries can receive documents within two weeks, with automated notifications used to alert them when papers are ready.

The report said certificates of occupancy are important because they can serve as collateral for loans, mortgages, or business expansion. That makes the pace of issuing them relevant for property owners and smaller firms that need formal title documents to access financing.

The same statement also cited other land administration actions under the FCT Administration, including 2,521 Consents to Assign and 177 Consents to Mortgage in the last three years. Such approvals are part of the legal process for transferring property rights or using property as loan security.