THE Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced that 34 foreign embassies in Abuja may face closure beginning today due to failure to pay ground rents owed over the past 11 years.
The outstanding rent amounts to a total of N3.66 million, according to FCTA records.
While several Nigerian institutions previously listed—such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)—have since settled their debts, the FCTA has maintained that numerous diplomatic missions remain non-compliant.
FCT Minister Nyesom Wike had on May 26 ordered enforcement action on 4,794 properties with unpaid ground rent spanning from 10 to 43 years.
President Bola Tinubu intervened, granting a 14-day grace period for defaulters to regularise their payments. That grace period expires today, Monday, June 9.
According to Chijioke Nwankwoeze, FCTA Director of Land, penalties for non-compliance range from N2 million to N3 million, based on the location of each property.
Some of the missions facing sanctions include:
Ghana High Commission – N5,950
Embassy of Thailand – N5,350
Embassy of Côte d’Ivoire – N5,500
Russian Federation – N1,100
Philippines – N5,950
Netherlands – N5,950
Turkey – N3,350
Republic of Guinea – N5,950
Ireland – N500, Uganda – N5,950, Iraq – N550, Zambia – N1,189,990
Tanzania – N6,000, Germany – N1,000, Venezuela – N459,055, Korea – N5,950
Trinidad & Tobago – N500, Egypt – N5,950, India – N150, Sudan – N5,950
Kenya – N5,950, Zimbabwe – N500, Ethiopia – N5,950, Indonesia (Defence Attaché) – N1,718,211
European Union Delegation – N1,500, Switzerland – N5,950, Saudi Arabia – N5,950
China (Economic & Commercial Office) – N12,000, South Africa – N4,950, Equatorial Guinea – N1,137,240
Several embassies have pushed back on the allegations.
The Russian Embassy claimed it had fulfilled all obligations and possesses documentation proving payment. Similarly, a Turkish official suggested a possible bureaucratic error and promised to clarify the issue with the FCTA.
The German Embassy also denied any outstanding rent, stating that no formal notice had been received and affirming that all dues were cleared by the end of 2024. “The Embassy values its cooperative relationship with Nigeria and upholds all local obligations,” it said in a statement.
The Ghanaian High Commission noted it had not received formal communication but intends to liaise with Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address the matter.
An official from the Sierra Leone Embassy expressed surprise, saying they were unaware and would investigate the situation further.
The situation has raised legal and diplomatic questions. Former Nigerian ambassador Ogbole Amedu-Ode cited the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which grants inviolability to diplomatic premises. While embassies are expected to comply with local laws, any enforcement must respect international protocols.
Foreign affairs analyst Charles Onunaiju argued that applying municipal ground rent laws to sovereign diplomatic missions may not align with international law. “Sealing embassy properties could trigger a diplomatic crisis,” he warned.
FCT Minister’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka, responded to embassy denials, saying that all claims would be investigated. “Some pay through online platforms like Remita. Unless receipts are presented, we cannot confirm payment,” he explained.
Meanwhile, it was confirmed that PDP had resolved its dues last Friday. Also, the FIRS, previously sealed off by the FCTA, provided payment receipts from September 2023, showing a settlement of N2.36 million. The matter with NAPTIP has also been resolved.