Minister of FCT, Wike Explains Payment Procedure for Issuance of C-of-O in Abuja

Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, said the FCT Administration has pegged the cost of issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) at N5 million.

Wike made the pronouncement at a meeting with estate developers in Abuja on Tuesday.

He said the payment could be made within four months of land allocation, after which the C-of-O would be handed over to the applicant.

He added that he would seek the approval of President Bola Tinubu to link applicants’ national identification numbers (NIN) to C-of-Os before issuance.

Wike said the era where three or more people were allocated the same plot of land with fake C-of-O was over.

“Allocation of land to three or more persons will no longer be allowed because the C-of-O enables you to do business.

“When we make the right decision, some people will be happy, and some will not. The rich will kick against some of our decisions, but anything that will help our people must be done,’’ Wike said.

He promised to ensure orderliness and sanity in the land administration system and processes in the FCT.

Wike inaugurated a task force on the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for housing estates and the recovery of land use contravention fees on Nov. 14.

He explained that the measure was to ensure that each unit in the housing estates had its separate C-of-O.