Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has approved an immediate waiver of all Certificate of Occupancy fees for the Nigerian Law School’s Abuja campus in Bwari and declared an “emergency” on the construction of staff quarters and other critical infrastructure.
Wike gave the directive on Wednesday during a meeting with the school’s management in Abuja, following an appeal by the Director-General of the Nigerian Law School, Dr. Olugbemisola Titilayo Odusote.
The minister expressed surprise that the institution had operated without a C-of-O since relocating to Bwari, describing the lack of official documentation for government institutions as a trend his administration is correcting.
He directed the Director of Lands to waive all processing fees and ensure the C-of-O is processed and ready within one week. “Regularizing the land is essential to move the school from what I colloquially term an ‘illegal session’ to rightful ownership,” Wike said.
On infrastructure, Wike said 10 staff quarters have been completed and will be commissioned as part of activities marking the President’s third anniversary in office. He pledged to construct an additional 10 units using existing prototypes to cut design costs.
He added that work is ongoing on two new hostels for male and female students to ease overcrowding, and confirmed approval of the budget for a new auditorium. He questioned why the contractor had yet to mobilize to site.
To modernize operations, Wike directed the school to liaise with the FCTA General Counsel to explore digitization solutions similar to ongoing efforts at the FCT High Court.
The minister said the interventions align with President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to support legal education and the judiciary, noting that the President is currently building “presidential apartments” for judges to ensure their security, welfare, and autonomy.
“Anything we can do to help our children, we are willing to do that,” Wike stated. “The staff quarters must be treated as an emergency project to ensure rapid delivery.”
Earlier, Dr. Odusote congratulated Wike on his appointment and commended visible infrastructure developments across the FCT, while highlighting disrepair and infrastructure deficits facing the Law School.
