Sir Sam Jonah, a Ghanaian mining executive and businessman, has taken a long-running land dispute in Abuja, Nigeria, to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris. The dispute concerns a 501-hectare property in the River Park Estate, a major residential and mixed-use development featuring homes, commercial facilities, healthcare centers, offices, and places of worship.
International Arbitration Underway
The case, being heard under the auspices of the ICC, concerns the termination of a development lease covering the property near the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. JonahCapital Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Sir Sam Jonah's investment group, maintains that its development lease was due to remain in force until June 2030. However, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) terminated the lease in November 2025, which JonahCapital has challenged as unlawful and contrary to the terms of the development agreement.
Allegations of Unlawful Termination
In its case, JonahCapital contends that Nigerian authorities failed to meet several obligations under the agreement. The company says the FCDA did not provide key infrastructure, including roads, electricity, and water, leaving the developer to finance and construct the facilities at significant cost. It has also raised concerns about building approval fees and alleged that sections of the disputed property have been fenced off while the arbitration process is underway. Furthermore, JonahCapital claims that the development has faced ownership claims from third parties, resulting in years of legal and administrative challenges.
Government Response
Nigeria's Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has confirmed that the matter has been taken to arbitration and said the government would respect the process. However, Mr. Wike has maintained that the government acted lawfully in recovering the property after the expiry of the lease. He has also disputed aspects of the development, arguing that some of the projects in question were undertaken by Paulo Homes Limited, a separate company engaged by JonahCapital to facilitate certain approvals.
Criminal Proceedings
The commercial dispute is running alongside a separate criminal case involving Sir Sam Jonah and several other individuals before the Federal Capital Territory High Court. The 26-count case includes allegations of forgery of company documents and the unlawful allocation of shares in companies associated with the Abuja development. Sir Sam Jonah has denied the allegations.
Ghana's Intervention
The dispute has also drawn the attention of the Ghanaian government amid concerns about the protection of Ghanaian investments in Nigeria. In late 2025, Sir Sam Jonah petitioned Ghana's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, over what he described as actions by Nigerian regulatory authorities that threatened his interests in the investment. Mr. Ablakwa subsequently raised concerns about the treatment of Ghanaian businesses operating in Nigeria at an ECOWAS Council of Ministers meeting in Abuja, citing the JonahCapital dispute.
Why the ICC Case Matters
By taking the dispute to ICC arbitration, JonahCapital has opted for an international dispute-resolution mechanism rather than relying solely on Nigeria's domestic courts. International commercial arbitration is widely used in cross-border investment disputes and can provide a mechanism for parties to resolve contractual disagreements before an independent tribunal. The arbitration hearing date has not yet been announced, while the related criminal proceedings in Nigeria remain pending.
Source: Joy Online
