The serene elegance of Abuja’s most exclusive districts—Asokoro and Maitama—is now under a cloud of suspicion as Nigeria’s anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), turns its spotlight on civil servants allegedly behind the boom in luxury property acquisitions.
The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, recently stirred national discourse when he declared that the majority of upscale homes in Abuja are owned not by politicians or business moguls, as widely assumed, but by career civil servants. His revelations, made public via a verified statement and subsequent media engagements, have triggered fresh calls for transparency and reform in Nigeria’s housing and civil service sectors.
Olukoyede stated that “statistics have shown, and we have evidence to prove, that most houses in Asokoro and Maitama are owned by civil servants.” According to him, investigations into one federal ministry uncovered a massive theft of ₦33.7 billion. While ₦3 billion was linked to a minister, an overwhelming ₦30.7 billion was traced to directors and senior civil servants handling procurement and administration.
He emphasised that the public’s perception of politicians as the chief culprits of corruption is flawed. “The volume of money stolen by establishment people—the so-called career civil servants—far exceeds what most politicians have stolen,” he said, describing the civil service as a “shadow government” facilitating the looting of national resources.
In response, housing sector stakeholders have voiced support for the EFCC’s position while calling for deeper institutional reforms. The President of the Association of Housing Corporations of Nigeria (AHCN), Eno Obongha, told PUNCH in an exclusive interview that the revelations highlight a systemic breakdown in oversight mechanisms.
“This is an informed report backed by investigations and documentation. If civil servants are found acquiring property through illicit means, they must face the full weight of the law,” Obongha said.
While advocating for lawful homeownership, Obongha stressed the need for a sustainable housing finance culture. “We must dismantle the mindset that people need to pay outright for a luxury home. Mortgages and structured payment plans are essential. That is how we build a transparent and inclusive housing system,” he added.
He also pointed out that Nigeria’s failure to enforce robust checks and balances has enabled corruption to flourish within its public institutions.
Jeremiah Akinsele, CEO of Magnificent Choice Services Project and Engineering Ltd, echoed similar sentiments. He described the issue as symptomatic of deeply embedded corruption within the bureaucracy.
“The challenge is not just about corruption—it’s about the systems that allow it. Documentation in Nigeria’s property sector is poor. Many luxury homes are registered with number codes instead of real names, making it nearly impossible to trace ownership,” Akinsele said.
He noted that this loophole complicates investigations, allowing civil servants to hide illicit assets under the radar. “Until we fix the documentation and property registration systems, corrupt individuals will continue to exploit real estate as a laundering tool,” he warned.
Olukoyede also highlighted the complicity of private sector actors, saying corruption is equally entrenched among businesses who collude with government insiders to siphon public funds. “From real estate purchases to dummy bank accounts in children’s names, the sophistication of these schemes is astonishing,” he said.
The EFCC boss maintained that although prosecuting civil servants is complex due to institutional protections and record manipulation, the agency is deploying advanced tracing and surveillance tools to build airtight cases. “We now interrogate financial flows, track estate investments, and unravel money trails like never before,” he said.
With the civil service under increased scrutiny, stakeholders are calling for legislative support to tighten asset declaration laws, digitise property records, and strengthen anti-graft agencies’ autonomy.
“If we don’t confront this menace directly, it will continue to undermine public trust and drain national resources,” Olukoyede warned.
As the EFCC expands its probe into the ownership of luxury properties in Abuja and beyond, the revelations are expected to reshape the narrative around corruption in Nigeria—unmasking a layer of civil servants long hidden from the spotlight.