
How to Verify Land Before Buying in Nigeria (2025 Guide)
Buying land in Nigeria without verification is like flying blind β you might land safelyβ¦ or crash hard.
Every week, Nigerians lose millions to fake agents, double sales, and forged titles. But the good news? You can verify land before you pay β and this 2025 guide shows you exactly how.
π§ Table of Contents
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Why Land Verification Matters
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Common Land Scams in Nigeria
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Step-by-Step: How to Verify Land
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Documents to Always Request
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Real-Life Examples
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Tools & Contacts for Land Checks
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My Take: Never Buy Without This Checklist
1. Why Land Verification Matters
In 2024 alone, Nigerians lost over β¦1.4 billion to land fraud (source: EFCC reports).
Thatβs because most buyers skip one simple step: title verification.
π§ My take?
No matter how sweet the deal sounds, verify or walk away.
2. Common Land Scams in Nigeria
Here are the top 5 red flags Iβve seen in 2024β2025:
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β Selling land they donβt own
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β Reselling already-sold plots
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β Fake survey plans and receipts
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β Land in government-acquired zones
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β Unapproved estate layouts
3. β Step-by-Step: How to Verify Land in Nigeria
Step 1: Get the Right Documents
Ask the seller or agent for:
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Survey Plan
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Deed of Assignment
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Certificate of Occupancy (CofO) or Gazette
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Allocation Letter (for government schemes)
Step 2: Visit the Site
Use Google Maps to confirm location matches the survey.
Visit with the seller and ask locals who owns the land.
Step 3: Conduct a Land Search
Go to your stateβs Land Registry or Geographic Information Service (e.g. AGIS for Abuja, LASG for Lagos).
πΈ Cost: β¦10Kββ¦50K
π Timeline: 3β7 working days
4. π Documents to Always Request
Document | What It Proves |
---|---|
Survey Plan | Land boundary + location |
Deed of Assignment | Ownership transfer agreement |
Certificate of Occupancy | Legal right to occupy land |
Gazette | Confirmation of free land status |
π§ Tip: If itβs an estate, ask for the approved layout from the Ministry of Physical Planning.
5. π§Ύ Real-Life Examples
Example 1: Avoided a scam in Sangotedo
Kemi asked for CofO β seller had none. Turns out the land was under government acquisition. She walked away.
Example 2: Got scammed in Port Harcourt
John skipped verification, bought land in a flood zone. Title didnβt exist. Lost β¦3.5M.
6. π Tools & Contacts
State | Land Verification Office | Website / Info |
---|---|---|
Lagos | LASRERA / Alausa Registry | lasrera.lagosstate.gov.ng |
Abuja | AGIS β Abuja Geographic Info | agis.abuja.gov.ng |
Enugu | Lands & Housing Ministry | Via Enugu Secretariat |
Ogun | BPP β Bureau of Lands | Ogun State Ministry portal |
7. π My Take: Never Buy Without This Checklist
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Does it have a verified survey?
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Did you check at the registry?
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Did you visit the land physically?
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Did you use a lawyer?
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Is there a CofO or gazette?
π― If you answer βNOβ to any of the above β pause the deal.