FCTA monthly salary bill now N13bn, ‘Abuja big men’ must pay tax -Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has raised concerns over poor tax compliance among affluent residents of Abuja, warning that their reluctance to pay dues threatens infrastructure development in the capital.

Speaking at the commissioning of the newly completed Collector Road CN2 (Zakari A. Kyari Street) in Katampe on Thursday — an event marking President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office — Wike pointedly criticised the city’s wealthy homeowners for shirking their financial responsibilities.

The CN2 road project, which links Arterial Road N11 (Ahmadu Bello Way) in Mabushi to Katampe District and provides access to Judges Quarters, was developed by the FCT Administration. Wike noted that such infrastructure is made possible through revenue from taxes and ground rent paid by law-abiding residents.

“For those who said we sealed their houses for not paying a ground rent, see the value; see the product of paying a ground rent,” Wike stated. “If you don’t pay, nobody will provide this infrastructure because the only thing the city has is just to collect taxes.”

He expressed frustration over Abuja’s financial constraints, revealing that the territory receives only one percent of the federal government’s monthly allocation.

“So, assuming that the federal government gets ₦800 billion every month. One percent of ₦800 billion is ₦8 billion Naira and ₦8 billion is not enough to pay salaries,” he said. “Our salary today is not less than ₦13 billion because of the minimum wage increase.”

The minister criticised the tendency of some residents to fulfill tax obligations abroad while avoiding them locally.
He said, “People say Abuja is rich. How rich is it?”

“That’s why we’re very aggressive in saying you cannot enjoy infrastructure free of charge. You have to pay,” he stressed. “It has nothing to do with ‘I belong to party A; I belong to party B, I belong to party C’.”

He urged President Tinubu — represented at the event by Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu — to help sensitise FCT residents on the need for tax compliance.
Wike warned that the administration would publish the names of defaulters, particularly landowners who have refused to settle ground rent dues.

“Mr Deputy Speaker, see what we are talking about. If you know you have land here and you have not paid, I will publish your name that you have not paid,” he said. “It has nothing to do that I want to embarrass you, no. We need money to do the work that we are doing.”

According to the minister, the ongoing real estate developments in Katampe and Mabushi are largely financed by wealthy individuals, making it imperative for them to contribute their share through taxes.

“No poor man can do these houses. No poor man. These houses are being built by rich men. So, you have to pay so we can carry out the job of delivering critical infrastructure,” he added. “We need people to pay their taxes so that we will carry out development in the interest of our people.”