The Federal Capital Territory Administration has disclosed that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has signed 26,272 Certificates of Occupancy since President Bola Tinubu assumed office in May 2023.
The figure was released by the FCT Administration on Sunday as part of an update on land documentation and property services in the nation’s capital.
According to the administration, the number of C-of-Os signed under Wike is 17,575 higher than the 8,697 documents processed and signed between 2010 and 2023.
The FCT Administration said 5,500 Certificates of Occupancy were processed during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, while 3,197 were handled during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in office.
It added that a large number of the beneficiaries whose documents were signed under Wike had received their land allocations more than a decade ago but were yet to obtain their Certificates of Occupancy.
The administration explained that the document is important to property owners because it can be used to support applications for mortgages, commercial loans and other forms of business financing.
It said delays in obtaining land documents had previously made it difficult for some property owners and businesses to access funds for expansion and other projects.
The FCT Administration also announced changes aimed at making the process of obtaining Certificates of Occupancy faster.
According to the administration, land allottees who have completed the required payments can now receive their documents within two weeks.
An automated notification system has also been introduced to alert applicants when their Certificates of Occupancy are ready for collection.
The administration attributed some of the delays experienced in previous years to administrative problems, saying the situation discouraged some landowners from completing their payments and finalising their documentation.
Beyond Certificates of Occupancy, the FCT Administration said 2,521 Consents to Assign and 177 Consents to Mortgage were granted during the first three years of the Tinubu administration.
For comparison, 753 Consents to Assign and 180 Consents to Mortgage were granted during Jonathan’s administration, while the Buhari administration recorded 684 Consents to Assign and 164 Consents to Mortgage.
A Consent to Assign is needed when an interest in a property is transferred to another person, while a Consent to Mortgage is required when a property is being used as security for a loan.
The FCT Administration said the reforms were aimed at improving property documentation, reducing delays and making it easier for property owners and businesses in Abuja to use their assets to access financing.