The FCTA has announced that staff on Grade Level 14 and below at the Land Administration Department and AGIS will be barred from using or possessing smartphones and other smart devices during work hours starting December 1, 2025, with only basic non-internet phones permitted.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has issued a circular prohibiting staff on Grade Level 14 and below at the Department of Land Administration and the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) from using or possessing smartphones, smartwatches, and other smart devices within office premises during working hours, effective December 1, 2025.
Signed by Amaka Ezike, the memo states that affected staff must deposit their devices in “secured cabinets” and can only access them during break periods. It recalls a November 18 meeting where workers agreed that only basic “torch light phones without any internet facilities” would be allowed for essential communication. The circular warns that violations will attract disciplinary action and directs management staff to enforce compliance. This move follows an earlier memo reported in November in which Wike approved a similar ban targeting officers on Grade Level 14 and below at AGIS and the Land Administration Department.