Land Purchase Legal Checklist in Nigeria
Land Purchase Legal Checklist in Nigeria
1. Verify Seller’s Identity and Ownership
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Request valid ID (National ID, International Passport, Driver’s License)
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Request original title documents
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Confirm seller has the right to sell (e.g. personal ownership, family/community representative, power of attorney)
2. Conduct Due Diligence
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Engage a property lawyer – essential for all legal checks.
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Land verification at the Land Registry:
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Confirm title is registered
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Verify there is no encumbrance (e.g., mortgage, litigation, government acquisition)
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Conduct a site inspection:
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Check boundaries and ensure no third-party occupation
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Meet with neighboring landowners or community heads
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For family or communal land:
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Confirm consent of principal members (with written confirmation)
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Ensure no existing family dispute
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3. Verify Title Documents
Common land title documents in Nigeria:
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Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)
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Deed of Assignment / Conveyance
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Governor’s Consent
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Survey Plan – confirm coordinates and land size
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Registered Deed of Assignment
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Power of Attorney (if seller is acting on behalf of someone else)
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Excision and Gazette (for land originally under government acquisition)
4. Survey and Physical Inspection
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Engage a licensed surveyor to verify the land location and size.
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Ensure land is free from encroachment or communal dispute.
5. Check for Government Acquisition
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Visit the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development in the state of the land.
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Check whether the land is:
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Freehold
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Under government acquisition
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Committed land (cannot be sold)
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Global acquisition (may be regularized)
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6. Negotiate and Draft Sale Agreement
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Draft a formal Deed of Assignment or Sale Agreement.
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Ensure it includes:
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Names and addresses of parties
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Land description and location
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Purchase price
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Payment terms
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Representations, warranties, and indemnities
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7. Obtain Governor’s Consent
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Mandatory under Land Use Act (1978) for the transfer of land rights.
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Required for a valid Deed of Assignment to be recognized.
8. Stamp Duty and Registration
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Pay Stamp Duty at Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS)
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Register Deed of Assignment at the relevant State Land Registry
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Obtain Registered Title Number (if applicable)
9. Take Possession
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Move onto the land or mark your territory physically.
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Consider fencing the property to assert ownership.
10. Keep Records Safely
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Store all originals of:
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Deed of Assignment
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Survey Plan
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Receipt of Payment
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Governor’s Consent (if obtained)
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Stamp Duty and Registration evidence
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?? Common Red Flags to Watch For
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Seller cannot produce original documents
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Unregistered land with no excision or gazette
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Land under litigation
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Price is “too good to be true”
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No witnesses or community head involvement in family/communal land
