How to Verify a Land Title in Nigeria: 5 Checks Before You Pay

“Oga, the land is genuine. My uncle bought it 10 years ago.” Every land fraud in Nigeria starts with a sentence like that. Here is the part sellers leave out: a proper title verification takes days, not weeks, and costs far less than the money it protects.

Here are the five checks we run, and that you should run, before paying for any land in Nigeria.

Check 1: Run a Cadastral Search at the Lands Bureau

The cadastral search (often called a “land search” or “registry search”) is the official record check at the state Lands Bureau or its GIS arm. It answers:

• Is the seller’s name on the record for this land?
• Has the land been sold before, maybe twice?
• Is the land under government acquisition or committed?
• Are there caveats, mortgages or court judgments against it?

How: Submit the survey plan or plot details at the state’s land registry. In Edo State, property searches run through EDOGIS; other states have their own registries or GIS platforms. Expect 3 to 7 working days for a result.

Check 2: Verify the Survey Plan at the Surveyor General’s Office

A survey plan is only as good as its registration. Take the plan to the Office of the Surveyor General in the relevant state and confirm:

• The survey number exists and matches the land description
• The plan was approved (not a draft from an unregistered surveyor)
• The land is not within a gazetted acquisition area

Warning: A printed “survey plan” is meaningless if it was never registered. This is the single most faked document in Nigerian land sales.

Check 3: Inspect the Land Physically

Paperwork can be perfect and the land can still be problematic. Visit the land and:

• Confirm the beacons and boundaries match the plan
• Check for an active dispute, settlement, or double sale
• Talk to neighbours and the community, they usually know who sold what
• Note access, flooding and nearby development

If you are abroad, engage a professional to inspect on your behalf, never rely on the seller’s photos.

Check 4: Verify the Seller’s Identity and Authority to Sell

Confirm the seller is the person named on the documents, with government-issued ID, and that they have the right to sell:

• Individual seller: proof of title plus identity match
• Family/community land: consent of all principal members, ideally in writing
• Company: certificate of incorporation and board authority

Check 5: Cross-Check the Money Trail

Demand traceable payment (bank transfer, not cash), receipts for every payment, and a signed agreement before transfer. Sellers who resist receipts are a red flag on their own.

Red Flags Summary

Red flag	What to do
“Search is expensive, just trust me”	Run the search, it is the cheapest insurance you will ever buy
Survey plan without a registered number	Reject it; demand a registered plan
Land “under excision” but no gazette	Verify the gazette reference at the Lands Bureau
Seller refuses receipts	Walk away
Price far below market for the area	Ask why, and search harder

How VETONGROUP Verifies Land

We run the full sequence. cadastral search, survey plan verification, physical inspection and document review, for buyers and diaspora clients who cannot be on the ground. You receive a clear report: safe to buy, or not, and why.

Start a land verification, free consultation, response within 24 business hours.