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Landlords in Idaw River area of Enugu South Local Government Area of Enugu State have raised the alarm over what they described as “excessive imposition of N5 million infrastructural levy per 500 square meters of land” by the Enugu State Geographic Information Service (ENGIS).
The landlords, mostly retirees in a letter to the Governor Peter Mbah, pleaded with the governor to consider their peculiar circumstances and reduce the levy to N1 million per 500 square meters of land.
In the letter signed by Chief Innocent Ekwu and Pastor Paul I. Madu, the landlords explained that they bought their lands in the layout with their retirement benefits from the indigenes between 1989 and 2019.
However, they were later compelled to buy the same land again from Etiti Ngwo community, which claimed ownership based on a Supreme Court decision, before the state declared the land now as a “crown land”.
“Most of the landlords, who are mainly retirees, bought the land they occupy in the layout with their retirement benefits from the indigenes between 1989 and 2019. Most have since developed their land with the remnant of their retirement benefits,” the letter read.
The landlords claimed that they had to borrow money to settle the community and also paid N100,000 for “Verification Application for Occupation of State Land (Crown Land)” with the belief that the end of their ordeal was in sight.
However, they were later mandated to pay the N5 million infrastructural levy, which they claimed was excessive.
“We had to borrow money to settle the community. Those who could not settle were subjected to the destruction of their property and, in some cases, reselling of their property,” the letter noted.
The landlords emphasised that it would be difficult for them to pay the N5 million levy per 500 square meters of land.
“It is very difficult for our members to pay the sum of N 5 million per 500 square meters of land (N10,000 per square meter) demanded by ENGIS for allocation of the land in the Layout to their present occupants (our members),” the letter read.
The association appealed to the governor to grant them a concession to pay N1 million per 500 square meters of land and also grant them a one-year grace period to pay the levy.
“We plead your Excellency Sir that you use your good office to grant us concession… to pay the sum of N 1 million as infrastructure levy per 500 square meter of land (N 2000 per square meter of land) for the land occupied by our members in the Layout. We further plead your Excellency that we be given a grace period of one year period to pay this sum in view the financial incapacity of many of our members,” the letter stated.
The landlords expressed their commitment to supporting the governor’s development initiatives in the state.
Meanwhile, the Enugu State Geographic Information System Service in a letter to the Board of Trustees of layout, dated June 3, 2025, stated “the land currently under your association’s management is classified as Crown Land, which is legally owned by the State Government. The settlement and development of the area were carried out without formal government allocation or title regularisation.
“To address this issue, the Enugu State Government, through the Enugu State Geographic Information System Services (ENGIS), has initiated a process of land regularization aimed at integrating such layouts into the state’s broader development masterplan.”
“As part of this regularisation process, a compulsory infrastructural development fee of 10,000 per sqm has been introduced. This fee is essential to cover the costs of basic infrastructure which is lacking in the area. The fee is not a penalty but rather a contribution towards ensuring that the land, which has remained underdeveloped, can be brought up to acceptable living standards. It is a standardised fee applicable to all layouts undergoing regularisation within the state.
“We fully understand the economic difficulties facing many of our citizens and communities. In response to your request for flexibility in payment timelines, we are pleased to offer an extension of 30 days for the payment of the initial 30% of the infrastructural fee, starting from the 15th of June, 2025 and ending on the 14th of July, 2025.
Additionally, we have considered your request for easing the financial burden on your members, and we are open to allowing payments to be made in two instalments.
“Please note that the discussion surrounding further payments beyond the initial 30% will be addressed after this phase has been concluded. The Enugu State Government is committed to facilitating development in a way that minimizes the financial strain on landowners while ensuring the successful implementation of its infrastructural plans,” said the letter signed by Managing Director/CEO, Chiwetalu Nwatu.
