The Edo State Government has announced plans to seal the premises of companies and organizations that have consistently failed to pay their property tax, ground rent, and tenement rate, as mandated by Section 30 of the Edo State Land Use Charge (LUC) Law.
Defaulters include major firms such as NPDC, Barnsley Int’l Coy Ltd, Ossiomo Power, Okpella Cement (Dangote Group), 7 Up Bottling Company Ltd, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd., and others operating in the state without complying with the LUC requirement.
Government sources revealed that the decision follows repeated reminders which the companies ignored. The state had earlier issued an enforcement notice on July 24, 2025, published in national newspapers and social media, giving defaulters a final window to settle their debts before sanctions.
The debt recovery initiative, according to officials, aims not only to sanction persistent defaulters but also to recoup all outstanding LUC obligations to fund infrastructural development across the state. Governor Senator Monday Okpebholo has consistently stressed that tax compliance is key to sustaining the state’s development drive, which has been widely commended by law-abiding taxpayers.
Dr. Tunde Eigbiremolen, Director of Media at EdoGIS, praised companies and individuals who promptly meet their tax obligations, assuring that the government has mechanisms in place to recognize and reward such compliance.
On August 27, 2025, several commercial premises in Benin City were sealed for violating the LUC law. The next phase of enforcement, officials confirmed, will extend to Edo North and Central Senatorial Districts, targeting banks, filling stations, trading companies, private residences, and other establishments.
The Land Use Charge (LUC) consolidates property tax, ground rent, and tenement rate into a single payment collected through the Edo Internal Revenue Service (EIRS) and the Edo State Geographic Information Service (EdoGIS).
