No fewer than 34 foreign embassies in Abuja are at the risk of being shut down by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) over unpaid ground rent.
FCTA said some of the unpaid rents had accumulated for over a decade.
A notice from the FCTA showed that diplomatic missions collectively owed approximately N3.66 million in ground rent, with some debts dating as far back as 2014.
The action is part of a broader enforcement drive ordered by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who had earlier approved the revocation of 4,794 property over unpaid rent obligations ranging from 10 to 43 years.
Following President Bola Tinubu’s intervention, a 14-day grace period was granted to allow affected entities to settle their dues.
The deadline expired yesterday, June 9.
Director of Land at the FCTA, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, stated that defaulters could face additional penalties of N2 million to N3 million, depending on property location.
The defaulting embassies include missions from Ghana (N5,950), Thailand (N5,350), Russia (N1,100), Turkey (N3,350), Ireland (N500), Uganda (N5,950), Germany (N1,000), and Venezuela (N459,055).
The Zambia High Commission (N1,189,990), Indonesia’s Defence Attaché (N1,718,211), and Equatorial Guinea (N1,137,240) owe higher amounts. Other missions from Egypt, Chad, Sierra Leone, India, Sudan, Niger, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, China, and South Africa sre listed.
In its reaction, the Russian Embassy insisted it has consistently met all its financial obligations and possesses the necessary receipts.
The Turkish Embassy claimed no formal notice had been received and suspected a bureaucratic error.
The German Embassy said it was unaware of any debt and confirmed full settlement of rent payments through 2024.
The Ghanaian High Commission acknowledged the publication but said it had not received official communication and would engage the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.m
The Sierra Leone Embassy also stated it was unaware of the issue and would investigate.
Reacting to the embassies’ denials, FCTA spokesperson Lere Olayinka said all such claims would be investigated.
He noted that some payments might have been made via online platforms like Remita, and receipts must be submitted for verification.