How to Verify Land or a House Before Paying in Nigeria

Verify every property before you pay — full stop. Nigeria's land market has genuine bargains, but it also has outright fraudsters, overlapping family claims, and documents that look official but are worth nothing.

This guide walks you through every check you should run, whether you are buying land in Lagos, renting a flat in Abuja, or closing a deal from London or Houston. Keep it open on your phone the moment a deal catches your eye.

Why Verification Fails Most Buyers

Most property fraud in Nigeria does not happen because buyers are careless. It happens because they trust the wrong person at the wrong moment — usually when excitement overtakes process. A seller who is in a hurry, a price that feels like a steal, or a referral from a friend-of-a-friend can all lower your guard at exactly the wrong time.

The other common failure is verifying the wrong thing. Buyers check the physical structure and ignore the title. Or they confirm the title document exists without checking whether it covers the actual land being sold. Both errors can cost you everything you paid.

Step 1 — Understand the Document in Front of You

Nigeria uses several land title instruments, and they do not carry equal weight. Before anything else, identify what document the seller is presenting:

• Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) — issued by a state government, this is the strongest title a holder can have. It grants a leasehold right (usually 99 years) over the land.
• Governor's Consent — required every time a property with a C of O changes hands. Without it, the new buyer has no legally recognised title, even if they paid in full.
• Deed of Assignment — a transfer document between private parties. It is not a title on its own; it needs Governor's Consent to be perfected.
• Survey Plan — shows the exact coordinates, dimensions and boundaries of the land. It must be signed by a registered surveyor and plotted on the state's master survey.
• Gazette / Excision — in Lagos especially, some communities hold land that the state has formally released (excised) from government acquisition. Land in an excised area can be sold; land that has been acquired by government but not excised legally cannot.
• Right of Occupancy (R of O) — used in Abuja (FCT). The FCT Administration issues these; they function similarly to a C of O.

If you are unsure what any of these mean in your specific situation, the NaijaMart Property title guide explains each instrument plainly, with separate detail for Lagos and Abuja.

Step 2 — Search the Title at the Land Registry

A document can look perfect and still be forged, encumbered or already sold to someone else. The only way to confirm it is genuine is to run a search at the relevant land registry.

• Lagos: The Lagos State Land Registry is at the Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja. A registered lawyer or estate surveyor can conduct a search on your behalf using the C of O number or plot reference. The search will tell you whether the title is clean, whether it has been used as collateral for a loan, and whether any government acquisition notice sits on the land.
• Abuja: Searches are done at the FCT Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) office. AGIS holds records of all R of Os and C of Os in the territory.
• Other states: Each state has its own land registry. The process is similar but bureaucratic timelines vary.

Do not accept a seller's assurance that "the title is clean." Run the search yourself, through your own professional.

Step 3 — Verify the Survey Plan Independently

Hire a registered surveyor (not the seller's surveyor) to visit the land and confirm that the survey plan matches the physical plot. They will check:

• Whether the coordinates on the plan match the actual location
• Whether the land falls inside a government acquisition area or is gazette-free
• Whether any neighbouring claims overlap the boundary
• Whether the surveyor who signed the plan is on the surveyors' register

In Lagos, areas like Ibeju-Lekki, Epe, and parts of the Lekki corridor have many parcels with contested or unclear excision status. This step is not optional in those zones.

Step 4 — Confirm Who Actually Owns the Land

Title fraud in Nigeria often involves a legitimate document and a fraudulent seller — someone who is not the owner, or only one of several family members who all have a claim. Confirm ownership by:

• Asking for the seller's means of identification and matching it to the name on the title document
• If the land is family land, getting a family resolution letter signed by the recognised head of family and principal family members — not just one person
• If the seller is a company, confirming the company is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and that the person signing has authority to do so
• Visiting the land and speaking with neighbours and the community development association (CDA) chairman about who they know as the owner

Step 5 — Use a Lawyer You Hired Yourself

Never use a lawyer recommended solely by the seller. Engage your own solicitor to review every document, conduct the registry search and prepare or review the sale agreement. Their duty is to you, not to the transaction.

Your lawyer should also confirm that any existing tenants or occupants of the property have been properly served notice, and that there are no pending court cases attached to the title.

Special Considerations for Nigerians Buying from Abroad

Diaspora buyers are disproportionately targeted because they are often unable to visit in person and sometimes feel pressure to close quickly before travelling back. If you are buying from the UK, US, Canada or elsewhere:

• Appoint a trusted representative in Nigeria — a family member with real estate knowledge or a professional — who can physically inspect and attend registry searches on your behalf
• Never transfer money based on WhatsApp conversations alone, however convincing they seem
• Video-call your representative while they are physically on the land, and ask them to show you the surroundings, neighbouring structures and any beacons
• Have every agreement reviewed by a Nigerian lawyer before you transfer anything

NaijaMart Property's guide for Nigerians buying from abroad goes deeper on the specific risks and practical steps for diaspora buyers.

After You Verify — Protect Your Payment

Once your due diligence is complete and you are ready to proceed, structure your payment carefully. Pay in stages tied to milestones — for example, an initial deposit on signing of the sale agreement, and the balance only on delivery of the original title document and signing of the deed. Never pay everything upfront before documentation is complete.

For other purchases you make while planning a move or settling into a new property — furniture, appliances, fittings — NaijaMart's Pay with Trust option holds your payment until the item arrives as described, so you are not chasing a seller who has disappeared with your money.

If you need tradespeople once you move in — a plumber, electrician or carpenter — NaijaMart OniseOwo connects you with vetted handwork professionals across Nigeria, booked with job protection.

Quick Verification Checklist

What to Check	Who Does It	Where
Identify the title type	Your lawyer	Review original documents
Title search	Your lawyer	State Land Registry / AGIS
Survey verification	Independent registered surveyor	Physical site visit + state survey office
Ownership confirmation	You + your lawyer	CAC search, ID check, community inquiry
Encumbrances check	Your lawyer	Land Registry, court records
Agreement review	Your lawyer	Before any payment

Start your property search and read more practical guides at NaijaMart Property.