Ghanaian businessman and mining executive, Sam Jonah, has escalated JonahCapital Nigeria Limited’s dispute with the Nigerian government over the 501-hectare River Park Estate in Abuja to the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris.
Jonas’ move stemmed from the dispute over the ownership, development and termination of rights relating to the massive property in the Federal Capital Territory, involving JonahCapital Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Sam Jonah’s investment group.
The controversy centres on Plot 4, Cadastral Zone E30, Lugbe West, close to the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The company said it secured the area in 2007 under the Mass Housing Scheme of Nigeria, and it subsequently developed the site into River Park Estate, a large residential and mixed-use community comprising housing, commercial facilities, offices, healthcare facilities and places of worship.
In November 2025, the Federal Capital Development Authority terminated the development lease, triggering a legal challenge from JonahCapital. The company argued that its development lease over the property was valid until June 2030.
It said the termination was unlawful and contrary to the terms under which the property was granted.
The company also contended that the Nigerian authorities failed to provide infrastructure that was part of the original arrangement, leaving the developer to spend substantially on roads, electricity and water infrastructure.
Other issues raised by the firm include disputed building approval charges, alleged fencing of portions of the property while the dispute was ongoing, and ownership claims by third parties that contributed to years of delays.
Meanwhile, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, acknowledged that JonahCapital had commenced arbitration over the issue. He said the Nigerian government would participate in the proceedings, according to GBCGhana.
The minister reportedly maintained that the government’s actions were lawful and linked to the recovery of the property.
Wike has also questioned the structure of the River Park development, pointing to the involvement of Paulo Homes Limited, which he said was engaged by JonahCapital in connection with regulatory approvals and other aspects of the project.
The positions are expected to form part of the wider dispute before the Paris’ tribunal.
While the ICC has yet to announce a hearing date, and the financial value of the claim has yet to be publicly established, a separate criminal proceedings connected to the River Park development are pending before a court in Abuja.
Jonah and other individuals associated with the development of the estate are facing a 26-count criminal charge involving allegations including forgery of documents and unlawful allocation of company shares connected to the project.
Jonah had denied the allegations, as he previously petitioned Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Samuel Ablakwa, over the treatment of his investment in Nigeria.
Ablakwa subsequently raised concerns over the treatment of Ghanaian businesses operating in Nigeria during an ECOWAS Council of Ministers meeting in Abuja.
The Ghanaian minister also visited River Park Estate, signaling Accra’s interest in the protection of Ghanaian commercial interests in Nigeria.
The intervention has elevated the dispute beyond the interests of a single investor, with the case now being monitored against the backdrop of longstanding economic ties between Ghana and Nigeria.
The ICIR reports that Nigeria and Ghana are among West Africa’s largest economies, with businesses from both countries operating extensively across the region.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.
