08/03/2022
TYPES OF PROPERTY TITLES IN NIGERIA & DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR LAND PURCHASE
It is impossible to overstate the importance of land titles. People who have taken it for granted have either lost a lot of money or ended up in pointless legal battles. It is critical to inquire about, understand, and verify the title that comes with any property before purchasing it. It's usually a good idea to do some research before investing. Even after you've confirmed the type of title that comes with your new home, you'll need to know how that title affects your property.
Historically, all lands belonged to the indigenous families who have lived on them, but the Land Use Act of 1978 vested all urban land within a state in the state governor to hold on behalf of the people, and as a result, the governor is responsible for allocating land in all urban areas to individuals or organizations for residential, agricultural, commercial, and other purposes.
There are several sorts of land titles that a property might have, and hence various consequences on the property.
Anyone interested in buying real estate should do a title search at the relevant land register. Every state has a land register where you may look up information about a property's title. For example, land title in Lagos State can be confirmed through the land bureau at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos. A thorough search for a land title can also include a visit to a court register if the title to the land includes a court judgment or a visit to the probate registry if the property of a deceased person is involved.
A land can either be free or under government acquisition. Committed and Global acquisitions are the two types of acquisitions.
Committed Acquisition:
In this case, the government has registered an interest in the land for specific reasons such as roads, defense, drainage, canals, airports, schools, and so on. A person who purchases such land will face difficulties in perfecting the land title, and if he or she persists with property development on such land, it may be subject to destruction without compensation.
Global or Non-Committed Acquisition:
This refers to properties that the government has long owned but for which no plans have been made. Through the ratification procedure, such lands can become free.
TYPES OF LAND TITLES IN NIGERIA
Excision and Gazette:
Excision simply refers to the government releasing a tract of land that had previously been subject to worldwide acquisition. A family or individual interested in such land can apply for a government-approved excision, and documentation for the land can be completed up to the level of the governor's assent.A gazette is an official record book that contains all of the data about a plot of land that has been excised and returned to the community. The information includes the name of the community as well as specifics on the area of land that has been carved out. The land is normally gazetted when the excision paperwork is delivered to the surveyor general's office. A person can apply for a certificate of occupation or governor approval via a gazette, which is a document that allows them to use and possess the land for 99 years.
Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)
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It is impossible to overstate the importance of land titles. People who have taken it for granted have either lost a lot of money or ...
