Enugu State Government has unveiled far-reaching reforms in the land sector, including the immediate abolition of illegal levies and a major reduction and harmonisation of land-related charges, in line with Governor Peter Mbah’s economic transformation agenda.
Under the new policy, ground rent, land use charge and all property-related fees have been unified and reduced by over 60 per cent.
Property owners are now required to pay a single Unified Land Use Charge annually through the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), regardless of whether their properties are located within or outside housing estates.
Governor Mbah announced the reforms at a stakeholders’ townhall meeting on land sector development held on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, the Governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to building a transparent, efficient, and investor-friendly land administration system driven by legality, digitisation, and accountability.
He described land as the legal foundation for housing, infrastructure, agriculture, commerce and investment, noting that the administration has since inception pursued deliberate reforms to modernise land governance, reduce uncertainty, curb abuses and restore public confidence in the land tenure system.
“These reforms are anchored on transparency, predictability, digitisation of records and strict adherence to statutory processes for land allocation, registration and development control,” Prof. Onyia said, stressing the importance of continuous engagement with communities, professionals, investors, traditional institutions and citizens.
A major highlight of the reforms is the immediate ban on the controversial Ogbonecheagu fees reportedly collected by some communities and local governments.
The SSG disclosed that Governor Mbah has declared all such fees illegal and ordered their outright abolition following widespread public complaints.
A task force has been constituted to enforce compliance, while affected residents have been encouraged to submit evidence to Whistleblowing@enugustate.gov.ng for swift intervention.
Prof. Onyia explained that the reforms were informed by the recommendations of a multi-stakeholder Committee on Land-Related Revenue and Administration set up to address issues of multiple taxation and revenue abuse in the state.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie said the Governor has issued key policy directives and legal instruments, including an executive order declaring nine of the state’s 17 local government areas as urban centres to facilitate effective planning and structured infrastructural development.
He added that the administration has enacted the Enugu State Geographic Information System (ENGIS) Law, establishing a one-stop platform for land transactions and enabling the full digitisation of land processes.
According to him, land records are now fully harmonised, eliminating missing files and ensuring that every plot of land in the state can be digitally tracked.
Barr. Okorie further noted that applications for Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) can now be submitted online or processed physically at designated government offices, while the Property Protection Law signed by Governor Mbah guarantees the security of legitimate property ownership and safeguards investors’ assets.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of ENGIS, Mr. Chiwetalu Nwatu, announced new guidelines on building approvals and title processing.
He said all buildings in housing estates owned by the Ministry of Housing and the Housing Development Corporation must obtain building approval directly from the relevant authorities, irrespective of location.
He added that building approvals for non-government estates within the Enugu municipal area will now be handled exclusively by the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA) to eliminate jurisdictional conflicts and administrative delays.
Certificates of Occupancy for buildings in both private and government estates, he said, will now be processed directly for individual property owners to strengthen title security and improve asset bankability.
In his contribution, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service (ES-IRS), Mr. Emmanuel Ekene Nnamani, explained that the newly enacted Tax Law is designed to place a higher tax burden on the wealthy while protecting low-income earners.
He urged residents to obtain their Tax Identification Numbers free of charge and comply with tax filing requirements to support accurate data generation for development planning.
Responding to stakeholders’ questions, Prof. Onyia announced the formation of a committee chaired by the Managing Director of ENGIS, Mr. Chiwetalu Nwatu, to address complaints related to land layouts and submit practical recommendations within one week for government consideration.
The town hall meeting drew wide participation from heads of government agencies, community landowners, estate developers, surveyors, town planners, property agents and lawyers, traditional rulers, town unions, business operators, religious organizations’, financial institutions, civil society groups, development partners and members of the public.
