Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has instructed existing landowners with Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) to re-certify them.
Wike stated on a live television broadcast in Abuja witnessed by the Daily Trust that the new C of O would require a National Identification Number (NIN) and a Bank Verification Number (BVN).
Wike further stated that he has abstained from signing C-Os since taking office due to the need to implement improved security measures.
He announced that the new C of Os would cost individuals N50,000 and corporate bodies N100,000 each.
He said, “There are a lot of discrepancies, a lot of cloning of C-of-Os, so we have come up with the idea that every allottee who seeks and applies for a C-of-O must supply his NIN; this is one of the features we are going to put in the new C-of-O.
“If a corporate body doesn’t have an NIN and they have property, they must put their BVN. So many people have not registered, and this will make them go and re-register.”
Speaking of the existing landlords with C-Os, Wike noted that they would only be required to pay a nominal fee for recertification.
“For everyone who has a C-of-O, they will come for a recertification, so that we can incorporate the NIN or BVN,” he said.
“Those who had a C-of-O before don’t need to pay money again; the highest they can pay is N50,000, and corporate bodies will pay N100,000. It helps in terms of security; it also helps to improve our revenue generation.”
He also intimated that the cost of obtaining a new C of O, which he had previously estimated at N5 million, could be cut to N3.5 million.
