Red flags when buying land in Nigeria
Most land problems in Nigeria are avoidable, the warning signs are usually visible before money changes hands, if you know what to look for.
A price that is far below the market. A plot priced well under comparable land nearby is the most common bait. Ask why. Sometimes there is an innocent reason; often there is a problem with the title, the boundaries, or the right to sell.
A seller who will not show original documents. Photocopies and promises are not proof. A genuine owner can produce originals and let them be verified. Reluctance is a signal.
No survey planA surveyor-drawn, officially lodged map that pins down a plot's exact size, boundaries and coordinates., or boundaries that do not match the ground. If the documents describe one thing and the land looks like another, stop. Overlapping or shifting boundaries are a frequent source of disputes.
Pressure to pay quickly, in cash, off-platform. Urgency is a tactic. “Another buyer is coming today” is designed to stop you checking. Real opportunities survive due diligence.
“Family land” sold by one person. Where land is held by a family or community, a single individual may not have the right to sell it alone. Confirm who actually holds the right to transfer.
Government land without excision/gazette proof.Excision is land the government has formally released back to its host community; the gazette is the official published record that proves it. If land sits on government-acquired territory, it needs formal release (excision) and a published record (gazette) to be safely sellable. Its absence is a serious flag.
No verifiable Governor’s ConsentThe state governor's official approval of a land transfer, required for a sale of titled land to be fully recognised in law. on titled land. For titled land, a transfer that cannot show the required consent may not be legally complete.
The single best protection is simple: verify before you pay. That is the entire premise Land and More is built on, see the evidence first, commit second.
These guides are general information to help you ask better questions, not legal advice. For your own transaction, take independent professional advice. See our disclaimer.