Abuja ‘big men’ are major tax evaders, they’re a problem

19 June 2025 at 23:28Wike was also dismayed that the same so-called big men voluntarily pay their taxes and ground rent in the UK, the US, and other foreign jurisdictions.Hon. Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT)Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, has labelled the rich people, otherwise known as big men, residing in the nation’s capital as the major culprits when it comes to voluntary tax compliance.

The former Rivers State Governor made this known during the inauguration of the newly constructed Collector Road CN2 (Zakari A. Kyari Street) by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja on Thursday, June 19, 2025, to celebrate his second year in office.

The newly commissioned road, from Arterial Road N11 (Ahmadu Bello Way) in Mabushi to Katampe District, leading to Judges Quarters and other connecting roads, was constructed by the FCT Administration.

Meanwhile, Wike said the rich people living in Abuja are not predisposed to paying taxes.

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However, he was dismayed that the same so called big men voluntarily pay their taxes and ground rent in the UK, the US, and other foreign jurisdictions.

“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 said, stressing that the road projects in Katampe District were executed with taxes and ground rents paid by responsible residents.

“If you don’t pay, nobody will provide this infrastructure because the only thing the city has is just to collect taxes.

“People say Abuja is rich. How rich is it?” he asked.

Wike sends an important warning to defaulters.Speaking further, the Minister explained that the FCTA only draws 1% of what was due to the Federal Government every month from the Federation Account.

“So, assuming that the federal government gets N800 billion every month. One per cent of N800 billion is N8 billion, and N8 billion is not enough to pay salaries.

“Our salary today is not less than N13 billion because of the minimum wage increase.

“So, if we only depend on one per cent of what the federal government gets every month, it means that we can only pay salaries, not to talk about carrying out infrastructure.

“That’s why we’re very aggressive in saying you cannot enjoy infrastructure free of charge. You have to pay.

“It has nothing to do with ‘I belong to party A; I belong to party B, I belong to party C’,” he stated.

The minister urged Tinubu to address the FCT residents on the importance of tax compliance, to enable the FCT Administration deliver more infrastructure in the nation’s capital for the good of all.

He also used the occasion to send a reminder to residents, particularly the big men, who are yet to comply with ground rent payment to do the needful in time before their names are published as defaulters in newspapers.

Addressing the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, who represented the President at the event, Wike reiterated his resolve to name and shame anyone who fails to pay their ground rent, no matter how highly-placed they are.

“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.

“It has nothing to do that I want to embarrass you, no. We need money to do the work that we are doing.

“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.

“We need people to pay their taxes so that we will carry out development in the interest of our people,” he concluded.

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