The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has reconstituted its Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Committee, tasking it with resolving land-related disputes across Abuja through mediation rather than litigation.
The committee sits under the FCTA's Department of Land Administration. It was inaugurated in Abuja by the department's director, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, who said the committee was tasked with leading mediation and conciliation efforts between conflicting parties involved in land matters. The move comes as land ownership disputes remain a significant concern for Abuja's real estate market, where competing claims over land can create uncertainty for homeowners, developers and investors.
According to Nwankwoeze, the committee will review complaints and petitions, examine all relevant land records, and conduct interfaces with affected parties before advising FCTA management on appropriate resolutions. The approach is meant to reduce reliance on prolonged court proceedings by helping conflicting parties reach settlements through mediation and conciliation instead.
Nwankwoeze linked the initiative to the wider land-administration reforms of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, saying the minister's agenda is heavily focused on sanitising land administration and improving service delivery to residents of the territory. He added that committee members were selected based on their professional experience and competence.
What it means for readers: Unresolved land disputes can delay construction, affect developers' access to financing, and expose buyers to financial and legal risk when a property has competing ownership claims. If you're mid-transaction on a property with any title uncertainty, this new ADR route may offer a faster path than court, worth raising directly with FCTA's Department of Land Administration rather than waiting on the current dispute process.