Sir Sam Jonah takes Abuja land dispute with Nigeria to ICC arbitration
Ghanaian businessman and mining executive Sir Sam Jonah has commenced international arbitration proceedings against the Nigerian government over a 501-hectare property in Abuja, escalating a long-running dispute over one of his major investments outside Ghana.
Ghanaian mining executive Sir Sam Jonah has initiated international arbitration proceedings against the Nigerian government over a 501-hectare property in Abuja. The dispute centers around a development lease termination in the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport area, which is held by JonahCapital Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Sir Sam Jonah's investment group.
The property's financial value is estimated at approximately US$500 million based on Abuja's prevailing property values. The lease was originally set to remain in force until June 2030, but the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) terminated it in November 2025. JonahCapital claims that the termination was unlawful and contrary to the lease agreement, asserting that Nigerian authorities failed to provide necessary infrastructure and building approvals.
Nigerian Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike confirmed the arbitration and stated that the government would respect the process, while also disputing certain aspects of the development. The dispute is being pursued alongside a criminal case involving Sir Sam Jonah and others in the Federal Capital Territory High Court, which includes allegations of document forgery and unlawful share allocation.
Ghana has expressed concern over the treatment of Ghanaian investments in Nigeria and intervened in the dispute, with the Foreign Affairs Minister supporting JonahCapital's efforts to safeguard its interests.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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