Ghana’s Defence Office in Abuja faces closure over unpaid rent

Ghana’s High Commission Defence Section in Abuja could be shut down today, June 9, due to unpaid ground rent. It is one of 34 foreign missions the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) of Nigeria has warned will face action if they don’t settle outstanding rent bills, some of which date back to 2014.

According to The Punch, the FCTA gave the embassies a 14-day deadline to clear their debts. That grace period ends today, following a directive from President Bola Tinubu. Ghana’s Defence Section is among those at risk if the required payments are not made by the end of the day.

Other embassies listed as owing rent include those of Thailand, Côte d’Ivoire, Russia, the Philippines, Turkey, Guinea, and Zambia. The FCTA also stated that embassies that fail to pay will face additional penalty charges between ₦2 million and ₦3 million, depending on where the property is located.

Some Nigerian government agencies, such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, have already cleared their debts. However, a number of embassies are disputing the claims.

The Russian Embassy told The Punch that it has always paid its rent and has documents to prove it. The German and Turkish embassies also questioned their inclusion on the list, suggesting there may have been administrative errors.

Despite these disagreements, FCTA’s Director of Lands, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, said the administration is prepared to take action. He confirmed that embassies that do not pay by the deadline risk losing their properties and could face legal steps.

This puts Ghana’s High Commission Defence Section in a difficult spot. If the rent is not paid, its operations could be disrupted, affecting its diplomatic work in Nigeria.