Lawmaker Urged to Curb Arbitrary Land Revocations in Abuja

Lawmaker Urged to Curb Arbitrary Land Revocations in Abuja

Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna Northwest Nigeria

The National Assembly has been urged to enact legislation that would put an end to the arbitrary revocation of land allocations in Abuja, a practice said to be causing uncertainty and hardship for property owners in the nation’s capital.

The appeal was made by Festus Uwakhemen, a realtor and member of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja.

Uwakhemen stressed that a new legal framework has become necessary to safeguard landowners against indiscriminate revocations by successive administrations in the Federal Capital Territory Administration.

According to him, it has become common for ministers of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to revoke land allocations approved by their predecessors, a trend he described as detrimental to both individuals and corporate organisations.

He proposed that once a minister grants land approval—whether in principle or through the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)—such allocation should not be revoked by another minister unless the matter is subjected to legislative scrutiny and approval by the National Assembly.

He argued that this measure would restore order and stability in land administration within the FCT. Without such a law, he warned, property owners remain vulnerable to sudden revocations, sometimes on grounds that may appear questionable, such as claims that properties are situated on waterways.

Uwakhemen further noted that placing limits on arbitrary revocations would encourage greater responsibility and transparency in the allocation process.

If ministers know they cannot easily reverse allocations without legislative oversight, he said, they would exercise more caution and diligence before granting approvals.

He maintained that introducing such checks would not only protect investors and homeowners but also strengthen accountability and promote confidence in Abuja’s real estate sector.