The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as mounting pressure on the Abuja Masterplan, warning that unchecked land conversions and the steady erosion of green areas are altering the environmental and structural design of the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the group alleged that public lands originally reserved for critical infrastructure and ecological balance are increasingly being repurposed for private residential and commercial developments by authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). It described the trend as a “gradual distortion” of the city’s planning blueprint.
HURIWA expressed particular concern over the continued reduction of green spaces across the capital, accompanied by extensive tree felling and rapid urban expansion. According to the organisation, these developments are already contributing to environmental stress, including rising urban temperatures, weakened ecological buffers, and increased flood vulnerability.
At the centre of its concerns is the reported conversion of Plot 546, Cadastral Zone B03 in Wuye District—originally designated in the Abuja Masterplan for a district hospital—into a private residential estate. The 3.171-hectare property, located within a rapidly developing district, is reportedly being developed by Full Moon Estate Developers Ltd.
The association argued that the shift in land use represents not only a breach of planning intent but also a deprivation of essential healthcare infrastructure for residents of Wuye, an area it says still lacks adequate public medical facilities despite population growth.
HURIWA further warned of what it described as emerging concerns around transparency in land administration, alleging that politically exposed individuals and associates of top officials may be benefiting from reallocations of public land. While it stressed that such claims remain unverified, it said they warrant independent investigation due to their implications for public trust.
The group also pointed to what it called a wider breakdown in adherence to urban planning standards, where lands earmarked for hospitals, schools, playgrounds, and recreational spaces are being gradually converted for private use. It warned that such trends could undermine access to essential services and weaken the long-term functionality of the capital city.
It further raised alarm over the shrinking of recreational and green spaces in residential districts, alleging that some areas originally designated as playgrounds have been replaced with motor parks and informal commercial activities, reducing safe spaces for children and families.
Beyond immediate land-use disputes, HURIWA cautioned that continued deforestation and unregulated urban expansion could threaten Abuja’s environmental sustainability at a time when cities globally are strengthening green infrastructure to combat climate change.
The organisation called on the National Assembly to step in, urging lawmakers to halt further conversion of public lands, launch a comprehensive investigation into land administration practices in the FCT, and review compliance with the Abuja Masterplan.
It also urged anti-corruption agencies to probe allegations of abuse of office, conflict of interest, and diversion of public assets, insisting that any individuals found culpable should face prosecution, while affected lands be restored to their original public use.
HURIWA demanded the suspension of all ongoing developments on disputed plots, including the Wuye hospital site, pending the outcome of investigations, and called for the restoration of all public lands designated for health, education, and environmental protection.
The group warned that Abuja risks a gradual erosion of its identity as a purpose-planned capital if current trends persist, stressing that the Federal Capital Territory must be protected as a national asset guided strictly by its original master planning principles.