The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has threatened to shut down 34 foreign embassies and diplomatic missions in Abuja due to unpaid ground rents.
According to the FCTA, some of these rents dates back to 2014, totaling ₦3,662,196 ($2.3 million at current exchange rates).
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On May 26, FCTA ordered the revocation of 4,794 property titles, including those of diplomatic missions, for non-payment of ground rent for a period of 10 to 43 years.
President Bola Tinubu granted defaulters a 14-day grace period, which expired on June 9, 2025, to settle their dues or face closure.
The FCTA’s Director of Land, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, stated that embassies could also face penalties of ₦2 million to ₦3 million, depending on the property location.
The defaulting embassies include those of Ghana, Thailand, Côte d’Ivoire, Russia, the Philippines, Netherlands, Turkey, Guinea, Ireland, Uganda, Iraq, Zambia, Tanzania, Germany, DR Congo, Venezuela, South Korea, Trinidad and Tobago, Egypt, Chad, Sierra Leone, India, Sudan, Niger, and Kenya, with debts ranging from ₦150 (India) to ₦1,189,990 (Zambia).
Some embassies have disputed the claims. The German Embassy stated that all financial obligations for its premises were settled as of December 2024 and no formal demand was received from the FCTA.
Ghana’s High Commission noted it had not been officially notified but would liaise with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resolve the issue. Sierra Leone’s embassy said it was unaware of the debt and would verify the claim.