Most Nigerian land fraud does not involve a forged document. It involves a real document attached to the wrong land, or the right land sold twice. That is why verification is not a formality you complete after paying a deposit – it is the purchase.
These are the checks that actually catch problems, in the order they should be done.
Before anything: the plot, not the paper
Every check below starts from the land itself – its plot number, its survey coordinates, its size. Sellers present documents; buyers must verify land. If you verify the document without tying it to the parcel, you have checked nothing.
1. Land information search at the state registry
Go to the Lands Bureau of the state where the land sits and search the plot. Not the seller’s certificate – the plot.
The search should tell you whether the land is free, inside a government acquisition, committed to another applicant, or encumbered by a mortgage or caveat. It is a modest fee and the highest-value money you will spend in the transaction.
If the seller resists this step, stop. There is no innocent reason to refuse a registry search.
2. Match the certificate to the land
Take the Certificate of Occupancy, the survey plan and the physical land, and check that all three agree:
- Plot and block number – does the survey describe the land you were shown?
- Area in square metres – does the certificate area match the survey?
- Holder’s name – is the seller the holder, or someone claiming to act for them?
- Term – a 99-year term issued in 1995 leaves about 68 years. Price the remaining term.
A mismatch is not a clerical error. It is usually the point where the fraud lives.
3. Confirm the survey plan is genuine
Survey plans are prepared by surveyors registered with SURCON and lodged with the state. Take the plan to the Surveyor-General’s office or the Lands Bureau and confirm it is registered and that its coordinates correspond to the parcel.
Duplicated plans are common in fast-selling corridors: a genuine plan, re-presented for a different parcel with the coordinates altered.
4. Establish the chain of title
Ask for the sequence of transfers: who held it before the seller, and how did the seller acquire it? A legitimate file shows a consistent chain – the original grant, the deed of assignment into the seller, and the Governor’s Consent for that transfer.
Where the chain breaks, find out why before you buy into it.
5. Check for acquisition and setbacks
Land can be cleanly titled and still earmarked for a road, a drainage channel, or a government scheme. Ask specifically whether the plot falls within an acquisition area or a road setback.
This matters most in corridors where new infrastructure is being announced: announcements attract speculation, and speculation attracts the sale of land the seller does not control.
6. Check the ground rent and land use charge
Unpaid ground rent and land use charge follow the land, and the buyer usually inherits the arrears. Ask for receipts and confirm them with the collecting authority.
7. Inspect the land in person
Someone must walk the plot with the survey plan. Look for: occupants, farming, boundary markers, access roads, drainage, and whether the neighbours recognise the seller’s claim.
If you are buying from abroad, pay a professional to do this and send photographs with coordinates – not photographs of a brochure.
The three documents people confuse
| Document | What it proves | What it does not |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of Occupancy | The state granted a right to a named holder | That the land is free of disputes or that the seller may sell |
| Excision + gazette | The land was released from government acquisition | That the seller owns the specific parcel within the excised area |
| Deed of assignment | The parties agreed to transfer | That the state consented, or that the record has changed |
The red flags that should end a conversation
- A price well below the area’s going rate, explained as “the owner needs money urgently”
- A photocopy, never the original
- “The C of O is in process” with no application reference or demand notice
- Pressure to pay a commitment fee to “hold” the plot before any search
- A seller who cannot explain how they acquired the land
- Family land sold by one member without the family’s written authority
Frequently asked questions
How much does a land search cost?
It varies by state and is modest relative to the purchase – typically a small flat fee at the Lands Bureau. Confirm the current fee when you apply.
Can I verify land online?
Some states now offer electronic land registries and online searches, Lagos and Ogun among them. Online results should be confirmed at the registry before you rely on them for a payment decision.
What is a land information search report?
A written record from the registry confirming the status of a plot – who holds it, whether it is under acquisition, and whether any interests are registered against it.
Is a C of O enough to prove ownership?
It is the strongest documentary evidence of a right of occupancy, and it is not proof that the seller may sell or that the land is unencumbered. The search and the chain of title complete the picture.
What if the seller is a family, not a company?
Require written authority from the family head and the principal members, confirm which branch holds the right, and check whether the land has been sold before. Family land disputes are the most common source of double sales.
Last updated: October 2026. General information about property due diligence in Nigeria, not legal advice. Have a lawyer you appointed – not the seller’s – review any transaction.
