At least 34 embassies in Abuja risk being shut down by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over unpaid ground rents dating as far back as 2014, The PUNCH has learned.
According to an FCTA notice, the embassies collectively owe a total of ₦3.66 million. While some organizations previously listed as defaulters — including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) — have cleared their debts, several diplomatic missions remain in default.
The warning follows a directive issued on May 26 by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, instructing enforcement on over 4,700 properties revoked for non-payment of ground rents spanning 10 to 43 years.
However, President Bola Tinubu intervened by offering a 14-day grace period to allow debtors to settle their outstanding balances. That grace period ends today, Monday, June 9.
Penalty fees of ₦2 million to ₦3 million may apply depending on the property’s location, according to Chijioke Nwankwoeze, FCTA’s Director of Land.
Embassies on the Default List
Some of the embassies owing include:
- Ghana High Commission Defence Section – ₦5,950
- Embassy of Thailand – ₦5,350
- Côte d’Ivoire – ₦5,500
- Russian Federation – ₦1,100
- Philippines – ₦5,950
- Royal Netherlands – ₦5,950
- Turkey – ₦3,350
- Republic of Guinea – ₦5,950
- Zambia High Commission – ₦1,189,990
- Tanzania High Commission – ₦6,000
- Germany – ₦1,000
- Venezuela – ₦459,055
- Republic of Korea – ₦5,950
- Trinidad and Tobago – ₦500
- Indonesia (Defence Attaché) – ₦1,718,211
- Equatorial Guinea – ₦1,137,240
- Saudi Arabia – ₦5,950
- China’s Economic and Commercial Counselor’s Office – ₦12,000
- …and others.
Embassies React
Some embassies have pushed back on the FCTA’s claims:
- Russian Embassy denied any outstanding debt, saying it has “paid all bills in good faith” and possesses documents to prove this.
- Turkey’s Embassy stated it had not received any formal notice and suspects an administrative error.
- The German Embassy emphasized that no official request or claim has been made by the FCTA and reaffirmed that its obligations were fully settled as of the end of 2024.
- Ghana’s High Commission acknowledged the publication but noted it had not been officially notified. It promised to consult with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for clarification.
A Sierra Leonean official, reached by our correspondent, also said the embassy was unaware of the situation and would verify the claim internally.
Legal and Diplomatic Implications
The inclusion of embassies in the enforcement list has raised diplomatic concerns. Former Nigerian Ambassador to Mexico, Ogbole Amedu-Ode, urged caution, citing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) which considers diplomatic premises inviolable. He advised the matter be resolved diplomatically via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Foreign affairs analyst Charles Onunaiju echoed similar concerns, warning that enforcement actions such as locking up embassies could amount to a serious breach of international protocols and provoke diplomatic fallout.
FCTA Response
Reacting to embassy denials, FCT Minister’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, said the administration would investigate all such claims and take appropriate action.
He added that because some payments are made online via Remita, receipts must be presented for proper verification:
“Until receipts are brought in, we cannot confirm payment.”
FIRS, NAPTIP Resolve Disputes
Meanwhile, both FIRS and NAPTIP, whose offices were previously sealed off, have reportedly settled their debts. FIRS had denied owing rent but later presented receipts showing it paid ₦2.36 million within three months of receiving a demand notice. NAPTIP also confirmed that their rent issues had been resolved.
A PDP insider confirmed that the party paid its outstanding balance last Friday:
“The PDP has resolved all issues with Wike regarding the ground rent. There’s no longer any problem.”
Final Word
With the grace period ending today, it remains to be seen whether the FCTA will proceed with enforcement or if more embassies will come forward to resolve their rent issues. The unfolding situation has not only financial but significant diplomatic consequences if not carefully handled.
