The Crisis in Olympic Layout: A Community on the Brink
Olympic Layout, once a quiet and promising residential area on the outskirts of Enugu, is now gripped by anxiety. Retirees and landlords say they are staring at forced eviction as the state government imposes what they call an “inhumane” infrastructure levy that could cost each plot owner as much as N8 million.
Since April, residents have been locked in a standoff with the state government over the policy, which requires them to pay N10,000 per square meter as an infrastructure fee and an additional N4,000 per square meter for a Certificate of Occupancy. For a plot measuring about 540 square meters, the total bill comes close to N8 million, a figure that many say is higher than the market value of their properties.
For George Agusi, chairman of Olympic Layout, the government’s move feels like an attempt to dispossess law-abiding citizens who bought their land legitimately years ago.
“We are not against government imposing levy, but if they want to impose, they should use a human face,” he said. “How can somebody, after using all his savings and gratuity to buy land from a community, and after so many years, government comes demanding this outrageous payment? Most of our people are retirees, many of them widows. How could they get close to N8 million to pay? That means we are repurchasing our land.”
Agusi, who revealed the efforts of the landlords to obtain the CoO in the past but the same government told them that the land is a community layout, accused the current administration of lacking empathy.
“Close to N8 million, where do you bring that kind of money at this hard time?” he asked. “Even if you have it, there are other meaningful things you can use your money to do. After buying a land, somebody will come and tell you, you must pay or it will be reallocated. I am asking them: even if we must pay, reduce it so that people can be able to pay.”
He added that many plots in Olympic Layout are worth less than the levies being demanded. “You can’t sell a plot here for N7 million,” Agusi explained. “Yet the levy is more than that. How do you ask a retiree to pay N8 million for a property that isn’t worth that much?”
Years of Neglect and Lack of Amenities
Residents argue that the state government has done little to justify such heavy charges. Despite paying land use charges and other taxes, they say they have been left to fend for themselves.
“At least you can see the road where you came in from, nothing, no government presence,” Agusi told The PUNCH in an interview. “Everything, from the infrastructures you are seeing were all the efforts of the landlords, starting from the security to road construction. The road is passable because of the efforts of the landlords, but since the Etiti Ngwo people invaded the place we couldn’t do anything again because if we bring grader to put the road in order, they will attack the grader.”
Our correspondent, who visited the layout, observed that the area, accessed through Agbani road by One Day Bus Stop shows visible signs of neglect. The road leading to the community is severely eroded, there is no pipe-borne water, and residents have had to provide electricity infrastructure themselves, which is frequently vandalized by hoodlums. Despite paying waste evacuation fees, refuse is still dumped openly on the streets.
“The State Waste Management Authority is coming to that place to collect money from people but there are no services,” Agusi lamented. “We have asked them to give dumpsters so that people can dump their waste, and they said no. Instead, they are coming to collect money from the people living here. I don’t know how we are going to survive in such a society.”
Land Disputes, Insecurity and Double Registration
The burden of the levy is not the only problem Olympic Layout faces. The area has been plagued for years by a land dispute between two neighbouring communities, Umu-Ugwu Akum Akwuke in Enugu South local government area, the original people that sold the property to current occupiers, and Etiti Ngwo in Udi local government area, the acclaimed rightful owners, who residents say have resold several plots and attacked property owners.
Ede Ezekiel, one of the landlords, explained: “The settlement we have been looking for between the two warring communities; Umu-Ugwu Akum Akwuke, our original landlord, and Etiti Ngwo is the problem that is telling on us. We need government to settle the crisis for us to have peace here.”
Residents accuse the state of worsening matters by charging verification fees on disputed lands, often collecting from both the original buyers and those who bought from Etiti Ngwo. “If you go to ENGIS, the original buyer registers with N100,000, and they will collect from you and still collect N100,000 from the same people who bought from Etiti Ngwo on the same plot of land. Isn’t this double registration?” one resident asked.
For them, paying millions of naira for regularization without first resolving ownership disputes is a recipe for litigation and more conflict.
The Crushing Human Cost
Many residents say the levy is not just a financial imposition but a direct threat to their only form of social security.
“I retired from public service in February 2021, and four years down the line, my gratuity is not yet paid,” said Innocent Ekwu, a landlord in the layout. “From little savings from my meagre salary while in service, I acquired a plot of land in this layout and built a little structure that gave me the leverage of not being a tenant after retirement because that is the worst thing that can happen to a public servant when you are no longer paid. Now government wants to reallocate it to others because I cannot pay the levy imposed on us. I am appealing to government to please reduce the infrastructure levy to N1 million and give us time.”
Rev. Stephen Ogbodo, who retired in 2017 and is still owed 30 months’ pension arrears and gratuity, said he struggles to meet daily needs for his family. “The government policy that we have to pay over N5 million infrastructure levy and over N2 million for certificate of occupancy is not good on our bodies. Even if you must ask us to pay, you allow the person time to struggle and get the money,” he said, noting that government has given till the end of October this outrageous imposition.
The insecurity in the area compounds their anxiety. “This place is very porous, breeding insecurity stealings everywhere,” Ogbodo said. “We don’t sleep with two eyes closed, even when you open your eyes, you are not still safe.”
Samuel Obi added that some families have been left destitute after attacks by Etiti Ngwo invaders. “Even when somebody was killed, no government intervention, no inquiry, no investigation. That boy just died for nothing. His family now is among those who own land in the layout. The mother, a widow, could not even pay N100,000 for verification. Where will she get N7 million to pay if she cannot pay N100,000? People are contributing money for that family to feed. Is that family not supposed to get assistance from government?”
Government’s Position
The Enugu State Geographic Information System Services (ENGIS), in a June 3, 2025 letter to the Olympic Layout Board of Trustees, defended the levy as part of a regularization process to bring the layout under the state’s development masterplan.
“The land currently under your association’s management is classified as Crown Land, which is legally owned by the State Government,” wrote ENGIS Executive Director, Mr. Chiwetalu Nwatu. “The compulsory infrastructural development fee of N10,000 per sqm is essential to cover the costs of basic infrastructure which is lacking in the area. It is not a penalty but rather a contribution towards ensuring that the land can be brought up to acceptable living standards.”
He said government had extended the payment window for the initial 30% of the levy by 30 days — from June 15 to July 14, 2025 and would allow residents to pay in two instalments.
“We fully understand the economic difficulties facing many of our citizens and communities,” Nwatu wrote.
“We commend your association for its continued cooperation with the state government and remain confident that this partnership will contribute significantly to the development of the area, ultimately benefiting all parties involved.”
Several efforts to speak with Nwatu and Commissioner for information, Dr Malachy Agbo were unsuccessful as they did not take their calls or respond to text message seeking their comments on the October deadline.
A Wider Governance Question
The standoff at Olympic Layout mirrors a broader debate about urban land policy and housing justice in Nigeria. Across several states, governments have sought to bring unplanned layouts into formal city plans through land regularization programs — often citing the need for infrastructure development, revenue generation, and environmental planning.
But critics say these schemes often prioritize revenue over social equity.
“Regularization should not translate to mass displacement of vulnerable groups,” a civil society urban planner who declined to be named told The PUNCH. “Government must balance its need for funds with its responsibility to ensure citizens, especially retirees and widows, do not lose their only shelter.”
Waiting for Empathy
Despite the government’s assurances, residents say the concessions do not address their main concern, which is affordability. With no infrastructure to show for years of paying taxes, they fear the policy could leave many retirees homeless.
“For now, we are living in uncertainty,” said Agusi. “We are not against paying. All we are saying is, let the government show a human face.”
Whether the state will heed their plea or enforce the levy and risk displacing retirees, widows and low-income families remains to be seen.
