Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has blamed wealthy residents of Abuja for poor tax compliance, saying they are the major obstacle to the city’s development.
Wike made this statement on Thursday during the inauguration of a newly constructed road — Collector Road CN2 (Zakari A. Kyari Street) — in the Katampe District. The road links Arterial Road N11 (Ahmadu Bello Way) in Mabushi to Katampe and was commissioned by President Bola Tinubu, represented by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Benjamin Kalu.
Wike said the road, along with other projects in the area, was funded through taxes and ground rents paid by law-abiding residents. He expressed frustration that wealthy individuals in the FCT refuse to pay ground rent and taxes, even though they willingly do so in countries like the UK and the US.
“For those who said we sealed their houses for not paying ground rent, see the value; see the result of paying ground rent,” Wike said. “No poor man is building houses in Katampe or Mabushi. These are big men’s areas. So, why won’t they pay?”
He warned that defaulters would have their names published in newspapers if they fail to settle their dues. He urged President Tinubu to appeal to residents to pay their taxes to enable the FCT Administration to provide more infrastructure.
Wike also dismissed claims that Abuja is financially rich. He explained that the FCT only receives one percent of the Federal Government’s monthly revenue, which is not enough to even cover salaries, currently estimated at ₦13 billion due to the new minimum wage.
“If the FG gets ₦800 billion, Abuja gets ₦8 billion. That cannot fund salaries, let alone build roads. That’s why we’re serious about tax collection,” Wike stressed.
After the inauguration, Wike inspected the Judges Quarters under construction in Katampe, and the N5 Road (Obafemi Awolowo Way) from Life Camp to Ring Road III, scheduled for commissioning on Friday.
Mr. Richard Dauda, acting Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, said the CN2 road was constructed by CGC Nigeria Limited and launched in October 2024, with the aim of opening up the Katampe District for development.
