FCTA shuts down Access Bank branch in Abuja over unpaid ground rent

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has shut down a branch of Access Bank in Abuja over the bank’s failure to pay accumulated ground rent, in a decisive move by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to clamp down on defaulting property owners in the capital city.

According to reports reaching this medium, officials of the FCTA on Monday enforced the closure of the bank branch after multiple warnings to settle the longstanding debt were ignored.

A sticker placed at the entrance of the property indicates that the building has now been seized and is under the ownership of the FCTA.

The action follows earlier pronouncements by Minister Wike, who had issued a stern warning to individuals and corporate bodies owing ground rent within the FCT.

He specifically named some commercial establishments, including Access Bank, as among those at risk of forfeiting their buildings if payment was not made.

Just days before the enforcement, the minister’s office, through his spokesperson, announced that a crackdown on defaulters would begin this week. True to that notice, enforcement officers were seen sealing off the Access Bank branch as part of the exercise.

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Ground rent is a statutory levy imposed on property owners in the Federal Capital Territory. The revenue generated is used to fund infrastructure and public services. However, many property owners have reportedly defaulted on these payments for years, prompting the minister’s resolve to take decisive action.

Wike, known for his no-nonsense approach to governance, has repeatedly stated that no entity—no matter how influential—will be spared in the ongoing effort to sanitize land administration in the FCT and ensure compliance with financial obligations to the government.

As of the time of filing this report, Access Bank has yet to release an official statement regarding the closure of the branch or the steps it plans to take in response to the FCTA’s action.

The enforcement is part of a broader FCTA initiative to recover billions of naira in unpaid ground rents and other statutory charges owed by private and corporate property owners in Abuja.