Tinubu scraps property privatisation committee, hands powers to AGF

President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Presidential Implementation Committee on the Alienation of Federal Government Properties, transferring all its responsibilities to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.

The decision, announced in a statement on Thursday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, took effect from November 5, 2025.

According to the Presidency, the committee’s former Secretary, B. S. Dutsin-Ma, has been directed to immediately stop acting on behalf of the committee and the Federal Government on matters relating to the sale and alienation of federal properties.

The Presidency said the decision followed a review which found that the committee had exceeded its original mandate, leading to multiple legal disputes across the country.

“After careful consideration, the government has noted that the activities of the PIC had extended beyond its original mandate, resulting in multiple litigations across the country, and the continued existence of the committee is no longer justified,” the statement said.

The Presidential Implementation Committee was established in 2000 under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to oversee the privatisation, sale and lease of Federal Government landed assets as part of the government’s monetisation policy.

The policy sought to reduce government expenditure by converting public assets into cash and ending the allocation of official houses, vehicles and other benefits to public servants.

The committee comprised representatives of key ministries, including Housing, Justice, Transportation, Health and Agriculture, alongside the Nigeria Police Force, with Professor P. T. Ahire serving as its pioneer secretary.

In 2001, the Federal Executive Council also approved a panel to produce a White Paper to guide the implementation of the committee’s recommendations.

Over the years, however, the implementation of the monetisation policy became the subject of numerous disputes over property valuation, alleged irregular sales, claims of undervaluation and court cases involving federal assets.

With the committee now dissolved, the Attorney-General of the Federation will oversee all matters relating to the alienation of Federal Government properties.