Wike Awards $3.6Bn Abuja Land to Son
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has come under fire following revelations that he allocated over 2,082 hectares of prime land in Abuja to his son, Joaquin Wike, through a company registered in the son’s name. The land, located in high-value districts such as Maitama, Asokoro, Guzape, and Gaduwa, is estimated to be worth approximately $3.6 billion.
According to official documents obtained by Peoples Gazette, the land was allocated to Joaq Farms and Estates Ltd., a firm incorporated on October 10, 2024, with Joaquin Wike listed as its sole beneficial owner. The first allocation was granted just a week later, on October 17, 2024, and subsequent allocations continued into May 2025. One of the most recent was a 2.3-hectare plot in Gaduwa signed by Wike himself.
Sources within the Federal Capital Territory Administration allege that the allocations were made without evidence of statutory payments such as ground rent, processing fees, or title registration fees—requirements that typically cost hundreds of millions of naira per plot. FCTA insiders further claimed that the minister brushed off internal objections, insisting on his plan to make his children the largest landowners in the capital.
The revelations have triggered outrage among civil servants and policy experts, especially as multiple departments within the FCTA, including broadcasting, water, and environmental services, have not received salaries for months.
Critics suspect that resources are being diverted to fund land transactions that lack transparency and accountability.
Real estate analysts estimate the value of the lands in question could exceed $3.6 billion, considering the premium market rates in Maitama and Asokoro, where land prices can reach $1,500 per square metre. The alleged accumulation by Joaq Farms places the company among the largest private landholders in the territory in less than a year of operation.
Anti-corruption advocates have called for a formal investigation.
Patience Okonkwo, of the Abuja-based Anti-Corruption Resource Centre, described the development as a gross abuse of office, stating that it undermines the integrity of governance and violates constitutional codes on the use of public office for personal enrichment.
When contacted, Wike’s spokesperson, Anthony Ogunleye, said he was unaware of the allocations, stating, “I am not aware of any development as such.”
Meanwhile, a senior aide at the presidency reportedly described Wike as a “serious liability” to the Tinubu administration, expressing concern that the scandal could damage the president’s anti-corruption image
Although Nigerian land laws allow ministers to approve allocations, they are obligated to do so in the public interest and in compliance with all statutory requirements.
The Land Use Act and Code of Conduct Bureau guidelines prohibit conflicts of interest and self-dealing, which observers say may have been violated in this case.
Pressure is now mounting on federal anti-graft agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC to launch investigations. Political analysts warn that inaction could fuel public distrust and embolden further abuses in the nation’s capital
