S4C Raises Alarm Over FCT’s Jabi Lake “Sell-off,” Cites Threat to Abuja’s Last Green Lung

Spaces for Change (S4C) has expressed serious concern over the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s (FCTA) decision to grant development rights at Jabi Lake to private companies for a large-scale waterfront development project.

Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, S4C Executive Director, said in a statement emailed to Persecondnews that publicly available information confirms that the companies, Suburban Broadband Limited and Akida Hills Limited, have been issued Certificates of Occupancy for the redevelopment of the Jabi Lake area into a mixed-use hub comprising residential, commercial, and recreational infrastructure.

The statement is titled, A THREAT TO JABI LAKE IS A THREAT TO A DELICATE ECOSYSTEM.”

It stated: “At stake is not merely another construction project, but the future of one of Abuja’s few remaining public green and recreational spaces.

“The transformation of Jabi Lake into a commercial hub raises critical questions about environmental protection, public access, and the direction of urban development in the Federal Capital Territory.

“Large-scale construction around a natural water body such as Jabi Lake threatens to disrupt delicate ecosystems, degrade water quality, and accelerate the loss of natural vegetation and open green areas.

“In a city already contending with rapid urbanization and rising temperatures, protecting such natural spaces is essential for climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable urban living.”

S4C, however, noted the growing public concern and emerging protests surrounding the Jabi Lake project.

“These expressions of discontent reflect wider anxieties about the transparency, accountability, and inclusiveness of decision-making processes in urban planning and resource governance across Nigeria’s cities.

“It is imperative that the Federal Capital Territory Administration provides full disclosure regarding the terms of the allocations, the status and contents of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), and whether any meaningful public consultations took place prior to granting development approvals.

“Decisions affecting shared public assets must adhere strictly to the principles of transparency, environmental sustainability, and democratic accountability.

“Urban development must never come at the expense of public welfare, ecological balance, or the rule of law.

“Consistent with its commitment to promoting environmental justice and accountable urban governance, Spaces for Change | S4C will continue to monitor developments around Jabi Lake, engage relevant stakeholders, and advocate for planning reforms that place people and the environment, rather than private interests, at the heart of Abuja’s development agenda,” the statement said.