Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister, has mandated all holders of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O) in Abuja to undergo a re-certification process, integrating new proposed security features into their documents.
In his address to journalists, Wike emphasized his decision to cease signing C-of-Os during his tenure as the FCT minister.
This action aims to introduce enhanced security measures, including the inclusion of National Identification Numbers (NIN) for individuals and Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) for corporate bodies.
Clarifying queries regarding individuals possessing C-of-Os for their properties, Wike explained that the concerned parties would be required to undergo a re-certification process, stating, “For everyone who has a C-of-O, they will come for a re-certification so that we can incorporate the NIN or BVN. They don’t need to pay money again; the highest an individual will pay is N50,000, and corporate bodies will pay N100,000. It helps in terms of security; it also helps to improve our revenue generation.”
He further highlighted the objective of identifying multiple property owners for tax purposes, adding that, “There are people who own seven properties, so this will identify them so they can pay taxes.”
Recall that MUK TV had reported on Thursday that the FCT Minister pegged the new price of C-of-O at N5 million.
However, regarding the proposed fee structure for C-of-Os, Wike differentiated the intended N5 million charge from the annual ground rent, asserting, “The task force proposed N5 million, and the stakeholders said let it be reduced. They asked, ‘If it’s going to be on properties 4-bedroom or 5-bedroom?’, again, you have to understand that the C-of-O is not based on the building but the land. The only difference is the annual ground rent.”
He further clarified that the payment structure would vary based on property size, emphasizing, “The one with a 2-bedroom property cannot pay the same as the person with a 3-bedroom property.”
