A neat fence, a printed allocation letter and somebody saying “people are already building there” do not prove that a seller can transfer land to you.
Before you release serious money, you need to know who is selling, what right they have to the land, whether the documents match the physical plot and what happens if a search finds a problem.
This is a starting guide, not a substitute for a Nigerian property lawyer, registered surveyor or official registry search.
Start with the person asking for payment
For an individual, your lawyer should confirm the person’s identity and whether they are the registered holder, an authorised representative or part of a chain of earlier transactions.
For a company, check its registration through the Corporate Affairs Commission. Registration proves that an entity exists. It does not prove that the entity owns this particular land. The person signing must also have authority to bind the company.
Family or community land needs extra care. One relative collecting money does not automatically mean that everyone whose consent matters has agreed to the transfer.
Ask a direct question: What legal interest does this seller have, and what document proves they can transfer it?
Trace the title history
A document is not trustworthy simply because its heading sounds official. Your adviser needs to trace how the current seller obtained the interest and whether the chain reaches the property being offered to you.
Depending on the history and location, the evidence may include a Certificate of Occupancy, registered deed, government allocation, excision or another state-recognised document.
Your lawyer should compare:
- the names on the documents;
- the description and size of the land;
- dates and registration details;
- the chain from an earlier holder to the seller;
- required consents, stamping and registration;
- any mortgage, caveat, court case or competing interest.
A photocopy is a clue. It is not the end of the search.
The Land Use Act places land administration within a state under the governor and regulates rights of occupancy and transfers. State processes then determine the searches, consents, registrations and approvals relevant to the property.
Make sure the survey matches the ground
The document and the physical plot must describe the same place.
A registered surveyor can help identify coordinates, boundaries and whether the survey matches the land being shown. This is how you avoid paying for Plot A while being taken to stand on Plot B.
When you visit, look beyond the signboard. Check access, neighbouring boundaries, occupants, visible disputes, drainage and site conditions. A survey plan cannot tell you whether the location floods after heavy rain.
For developed property, title is only one part of the decision. You may also need structural, planning, service-charge or tenancy checks.
Ask what you are allowed to do there
The question is not only “Can I buy this?” It is also “Can I lawfully do what I intend to do here?”
Confirm the relevant planning position, permitted use, access and services. A plot that looks affordable can become a very different decision if the intended home, shop or development cannot receive the approvals it needs.
Use qualified professionals whose duty is clear. Ask who selected and pays them, what they checked and what their report does not cover.
Put the deal into proper documents
Do not let a receipt become the entire agreement.
The transaction documents should identify the parties, property, price, payment stages, representations, obligations and what happens if a required check fails. Your lawyer should explain which instrument is appropriate and which steps are needed for consent, stamping and registration.
If payment is staged or protected, write down the release conditions. “Pay now so we can start documentation” is too vague for a large transfer.
Avoid cash payments that leave no reliable trail. Use an account and reference that match the transaction documents. Keep every payment acknowledgement and search result together.
Pause before the final commitment
Before releasing substantial money, you should be able to answer:
- Who is the seller?
- What gives them the right to transfer this land?
- Does the title history hold together?
- Does the survey match the physical plot?
- What did the official registry search show?
- Is the intended use allowed?
- Are there disputes, charges, acquisitions or occupants?
- What document governs the payment?
- What happens if a check fails?
- Who will handle consent, stamping and registration?
If the answer to a basic question is “don’t worry,” keep your money where it is until the answer is documented.
Dmore’s long-term property experience may help organise evidence, milestones, protected payment and ownership records. Until such a service is formally launched and its checks are operating, this article is education only. It does not mean Dmore has verified a property.