Wike Hastens Issuance of Title Documents, Signs 5,481 Certificates of Occupancy in One Year

By Sofiat Adenekan

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has signed a remarkable five thousand, four hundred and eighty-one Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) within a single year as of December 31, 2024.

This achievement is part of the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) ongoing efforts to streamline and enhance land title administration under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu.

According to the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, this figure is just two thousand, nine hundred and nineteen short of the total number of C-of-Os signed by the FCTA over 13 years, from 2010 to 2023.

Olayinka emphasized that FCTA has significantly improved its processes, ensuring that land allottees can now receive their C-of-O within two weeks after making necessary payments.

He explained, “One of the reasons land allottees delayed payment in the past was the prolonged waiting time for title documents. Now, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu’s administration, those delays are a thing of the past.”

He added that data uploading, which previously took months, now occurs within 72 hours. Furthermore, auto-generated SMS notifications will soon be sent to inform land allottees when their documents are ready for collection.

Historical Overview of C-of-O Issuance in the FCT:

May 2010 – May 2015: 5,655 Certificates of Occupancy issued.

May 2015 – May 2019: 1,174 Certificates issued.

May 2019 – May 2023: 1,571 Certificates issued.

May 2023 – December 2024: 5,481 Certificates issued under Minister Wike’s tenure.

According to the Minister’s aide, this initiative underscores the administration’s commitment to efficiency, transparency, and improved service delivery in the FCT land administration system.