₦airaland Forum

THE IMPORTANCE OF SETBACKS, RIGHT OF WAY, AND PROPER LAND SURVEYING

Every rainy season in Lagos, the same thing happens. Roads disappear under water. Estates get flooded. Newly built houses suddenly become “waterfront properties.” People start asking questions like:

“How did this place flood like this?”
“Why is water entering this compound?”
“Who approved the building here?”

Now, to be clear; flooding is not always caused by buildings violating setbacks or Right of Way. Poor drainage systems, blocked canals, inadequate infrastructure, and excessive rainfall also play major roles. But situations like this remind people why setback rules and Right of Way regulations exist in the first place.

What Are Setbacks and Right of Way in Real Estate?
Some people think setbacks are just unnecessary government rules designed to reduce land size. They are not. Setbacks are safety boundaries created to protect roads, drainage systems, pipelines, rail lines, power lines, waterways, and even future urban development.

In simple terms, setbacks determine how close a building can legally and safely be to important infrastructure or environmental features.

Right of Way (ROW) refers to the reserved space required for roads, utility corridors, drainage channels, rail infrastructure, and other public developments.
Ignoring these physical planning regulations in Lagos can expose a property to:
• Demolition risks
• Government encroachment issues
• Environmental hazards
• Drainage problems
• Infrastructure conflicts
• Reduced property value

This is why understanding setbacks and Right of Way regulations in Nigeria is critical before construction begins.

Physical Planning Setback Guidelines in Lagos
According to physical planning guidelines, the following setback and Right of Way distances should be observed:

Road Right of Way Guidelines
• Federal Highway — 90m Right of Way (45m from centre to property line)
• State Highway — 60m Right of Way (30m from centre to property line)
• Local Roads — 24m, 18m, 15m, or 12m Right of Way depending on road classification
• NNPC Pipeline — 15m setback from the pipeline corridor

Required Setbacks From Water Bodies
• Ocean / Sea — 150m
• Lagoon — 50m
• River — 15m
• Seasonal waterways — 15m
• Gorges (built-up areas) — 10m

Required Distances From Rail Infrastructure
• Railway line — 21m
• Unmanned railway crossing — 60m

Power Line Safety Setbacks
• 132KV powerline — 15m
• 330KV powerline — 25m
• 11/33KV powerline — 5.5m

These are not random measurements. They are urban planning and safety regulations designed to reduce future risks and support organized city development.

Why Professional Land Surveying Is Important Before Building
Professional land surveying in Lagos is extremely important before any construction project begins. Before building, your surveyor should properly identify:
• Your actual property boundaries
• Existing Right of Way restrictions
• Applicable building setbacks
• Drainage alignments
• Utility corridors and restricted zones

Yes, respecting these setbacks may reduce the portion of land you can build on. But it also helps protect your property from future disputes, environmental risks, drainage-related issues, government acquisition problems, and possible demolition.

During situations like the flooding currently happening in Lagos, properties that properly adhered to approved setbacks and planning regulations are generally less exposed to certain loss risks.

Why?

Because these guidelines are designed to reduce unsafe development around drainage paths, waterways, major infrastructure, and environmentally sensitive areas.

Good planning does not eliminate every risk. But it significantly improves the safety, sustainability, and long-term security of a property investment.

In real estate, the goal is not just to build. The goal is to build in a way that protects both the structure and the investment behind it. And the current situation in Lagos is reminding everyone of one important truth: The safest properties are usually the ones that respected planning rules from the very beginning.

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Buying land in Lagos can be complicated and risky for Nigerians in the diaspora. This is because with realities such as fake plots, unclear ownership, and “omonile” land grabbing, it’s too easy to fall victim to scam or legal pitfalls. However, with the right guidance, you can buy land in Lagos safely and confidently.

This step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to invest in Lagos land property from abroad. We cover everything you need to know about choosing the right location, verifying land ownership with licensed Surveyors, and working with trusted Lawyers, to taking possession safely. By following these proven steps, you’ll make informed decisions, protect your investment, and secure your property the right way.

Step 1: Determine Your Land Investment Goals.
Before buying land in Lagos from abroad, be clear about your purpose. Are you buying for residential development, commercial use, or agricultural purposes? Defining your goal early helps you choose the right location, land size, and type, ensuring your investment aligns with your plans and maximizes returns.

Step 2: Research Reliable Locations
In Lagos, lands are not equal. Some areas offer strong potential for development and investment, while others are prone to legal complications or scams. Because you are buying from abroad, it is essential to exercise extra caution before making any payment. Focus on areas that are well-established, have good infrastructure, and come with clear, verified land titles. Examples of reliable locations in Lagos include:
Banana Island: One of the most prestigious areas in Lagos, ideal for high-end residential investment. Land here is expensive but legally secure and highly sought-after.
Epe: Known for its spacious plots and serene environment, Epe is excellent for long-term residential or agricultural investments.
Lekki Phase 1 & 2: These are rapidly developing areas with good roads, amenities, and investment potential.
Victoria Island & Ikoyi: Perfect for luxury residential or commercial properties with strong resale value.

However, caution is necessary when considering Eti-Osa and Ibeju-Lekki. Much of the land within both regions is still under government acquisition, meaning it cannot be legally sold until officially excised. Only a few lands in these areas have been officially released through government excision, so buying without proper verification can lead to disputes, confiscation, or outright loss of your investment.

Step 3: Hire A Licensed Surveyor.
Once you’ve identified the land you want to buy in Lagos, the next crucial step is to hire a licensed Surveyor. One of the biggest mistakes Nigerians in the diaspora make when buying land in Lagos is waiting until the end of the process to involve a Surveyor. Many buyers think Surveyors are only needed after purchase, but this mindset can be very costly. The truth is, Surveyors are the experts. They know about boundaries, government acquisitions, and disputed plots.

If you involve them too late and they find a problem, there’s often nothing you can do. The best approach is to engage a Surveyor before making any payment. Engaging them before making any payment is essential because they can:
Investigate the acquisition status of the land (whether it is freehold, government-acquired, or committed)
Verify all official titles, such as the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) and Governor’s Consent.
Check if the land is under dispute or in a court case.
Confirm that the seller is the rightful owner or has proper authority to sell.
Ensure that the land you are paying for is exactly the land sold to you.

This step protects your investment and prevents costly mistakes. It’s also wiser to work with a licensed survey company rather than an individual. This is because companies typically have a physical office, an online presence, and a reputation, making them easier to verify and hold accountable if issues arise.

Step 4: Hire a Trusted Real Estate Lawyer
After your Surveyor confirms that the land is safe to buy, the next step is to engage a competent real estate lawyer. A real estate Lawyer ensures that the payment process is secure and thorough, that all necessary contracts are properly signed, and that no part of the transaction is overlooked.

Most importantly, your Lawyer will make sure that official documents, such as the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), Deed of Assignment, and Governor’s Consent, are correctly handed over to you. Nothing should be left out or skipped, this protects your ownership rights and secures your investment.

Step 5: Take physical possession immediately.
Never make the mistake of buying land in Lagos and leaving it unattended. If you do this, you may be shocked to discover that “omonile" could sell the same land to someone else, putting your investment at risk.

To protect your property, take physical possession as soon as possible. This can be done by:
Starting development on the land immediately
Fencing the property securely
Placing clear signs like “Keep Off,” “Military Zone,” or “Not for Sale”

These actions signal to anyone eyeing the land that it is already owned, reducing the risk of disputes or illegal claims.

Ultimately, buying land in Lagos from abroad is a risky endeavor ONLY IF you do not carry out proper planning, involve credible professionals, and take prompt actions after purchase.

For more insights like this, subscribe to our blog and be the first to know when new posts are published.

You may also be interested in Land Matters in Nigeria: Why Every Transaction Must Be Backed by Paper

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Despite the numerous alarms raised over the years about the activities of Land grabbers/Omonile in Lagos and their many tricks, a lot of investors still fall prey to them. These sets of hoodlums are always in the habit of causing conflict and confusion among investors by selling the same plot of land to multiple investors with different illegal papers. Today, the Omoniles have upped their games into selling government lands by erecting signposts bearing the Lagos state logo and excision application file number in a bid to deceive unsuspecting investors into thinking that the lands are genuine with government backing.

According to the Lagos state Lands Bureau, some of the communities where the Omonile Land Grabbing Syndrome is becoming more prominent are: Okenla village, Idake village, Ajao Oki village, Ladegbole village, Imedu village, Iratirin village, Shekina Alo village, Obadimisi village, Fowoseje village, and Iraboko village, all in Ibeju-Lekki area. Moreso, some communities in the Lekki area like the Adamatiye community, Ogunro community, and Sorogun community are also affected. We also have the Ogombo village in Eti-Osa, Oshiun village in Kosofe.

The Lagos state government has notified the public that it has not approved any village excision application since May 2015 and caution should be taken when buying any land in Lagos, especially the ones bearing the Lagos state signpost to avoid being scammed.

Consequently, it will be in your best interest as an investor or private developer to involve a registered land surveyor when buying any land in Lagos as they are in the best position to verify the status of any land and help you run checks on the documents that these land agents deceive people with.

The land use act is one of the most important laws that every land owner and real estate investor should know about especially especially in the case of compulsory acquisition of land. In Nigeria, the land use act clearly gives the right to every person to acquire and own property anywhere in the country. However, that right is not absolute as it is subject to certain conditions like Eminent Domain (Compulsory acquisition of land by the government for public interest).

According to section 1 (one) of the land use act, “all lands comprised in the territory of each state in the Federation are vested in the Governor of that State and such land shall be held in trust and administered for the use and common benefit of all Nigerian in accordance with the provisions of the Act”.Therefore, according to this act in section 9, to acquire land and enjoy the right of ownership you will need a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) issued by the governor of the state. Again the act also stipulates in sections 28 and 29 that the government also has the right to revoke the certificate of occupancy when it concerns public interest and promptly pay compensation to the bearer of the C of O. What this clearly means is that whereby the bearer or holder of that land does not have any C of ,O such persons do not have full legal claim or right to that piece of land and therefore will not be entitled or be able to claim any compensation from the government in the event of eminent domain as contained in section 29 of the land use act which states that in the event of compulsory acquisition of land “the holder and the occupier shall be entitled to compensation for the value at the date of revocation of their unexhausted improvements”.
Another reason you should get a C of O is that it clearly states what that land is to be used for; be it residential, commercial, or mixed-use. Whereby the land is being used for something else without approval from the concerned authorities you might have your land revoked by the government.

However, a certificate of occupancy according to the land use act can only be issued once on a property by the government, so whereby a real estate investor or an individual needs to purchase a piece of land from a private individual other than the governor and wants to have the full legal right to that property, then he will need property title. This can only be gotten through a deed of assignment which must be registered with the government upon the issuance of the Governor’s Consent. For it is unlawful for the bearer of C of O to transfer the right of ownership to another individual without the consent of the governor of that state (section 22 of the land use act)
Another important thing to note as a real estate investor when you need to secure the ownership of that property through legal means, you need a SURVEY PLAN to proceed which can only be gotten from a registered surveyor. This is one of the major reasons we keep saying that the essence of a survey can never be over-emphasized.

To know more about the certificate of occupancy, the deed of assignment and the governor’s consent, follow us on our website for more articles on this.

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Any property that does not have a title in Eti-Osa and Ibeju-Lekki axis is technically under government acquisition. It is for this reason that you will find out that most property developers always insist on buying land that has an existing title. If the existing title is a gazetter or C of O, they then go ahead to process and obtain a Governor’s Consent title before putting their properties on the market. Governor’s Consent is a good title and so when a buyer wants to purchase a property and he is told that the property has a governor’s consent title, he is happy and satisfied that he is buying a property with a good title. Those with real estate experience will take it a step further and try to confirm if the title is genuine. For this task, they usually hire a lawyer.

Most lawyers will take the consent document from the seller to Alausa to verify. Once they can verify that the consent is genuine, they will advise the client to go ahead and buy. But this kind of verification is only partial. It is important to verify the survey plan in the consent as well. We have found out from experience, that in some cases the survey plan used to obtain the consent may not actually cover the property the buyer is interested in. Therefore, technically, the property has no title.

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It is not enough to verify that a governor’s consent is genuine. You must also verify that the property completely falls within the survey plan in the consent document.

bizzibodi:
Nice one,is it wise to buy a land without a deed?who prepare the deed,the seller?what must a deed contain?

Deed is prepared by lawyers

Blackbelly:
I'm a huge fan of your blog and I find your content most educative.
In a situation whereby a person buys a piece of land before surveying, and there happens to be a 5feet difference between the measurement on the deed and the actual measurement on ground, should there be cause to effect a change?

This depends on the buyer. 5 feet is less than 2m so some people may consider it negligible.

From the point of acquiring land to constructing your building and obtaining title from the government, a property owner will interface with different professionals. These professionals play different important roles in the real estate industry. However, the order in which they come into a real estate project matters.

We recently did a survey for our client. When we finished processing the measurements we realized that the area on the deed was about 30 square meters different from what was stated on the deed. We know that what we measured was correct because we measured twice. A difference of 30 square meters is significant and cannot be overlooked so the deed has to be edited. But editing a deed after all the parties to the transaction have signed is something that should be avoided.

In a property transaction, it is good for the survey plan to be prepared before the deed because the deed will carry some details on the survey plan. If the survey plan is not ready then it is better to not include specific survey-related details of the property. For example, instead of stating the area of the land as 669.50 square meters, it is better to write 1 plot because your surveyor has not done his own survey to confirm the claims of the seller. It is not wise to fill in survey-related details of the land/property based on what the seller says or based on the seller’s survey plan. It is always better to have a survey done by your own surveyor before transferring the details to the deed.


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One of the checks you need to do before buying a property is Survey Plan Check. It is important to ensure the survey plan of the seller is in agreement with the property he wants to sell to you.

If you buy a property that has an existing C of O or Governor’s Consent title and the survey plan is not correct, you will not be able to get your own title from the government until that survey plan has been corrected. If you don’t detect the survey plan is faulty before the conclusion of the transaction, it becomes a problem for you because in most cases the seller will not be willing to pay for the correction of the survey plan after he has been paid for the property. In fact, I have never seen a case where the seller was willing to pay for the correction of his survey plan. Correction of the survey plan will also require a Deed of Rectification in order to effect the correction on the title documents and this process takes time and money.

It is in your own best interest to confirm that the seller’s survey plan is correct before making full payment. If it is not correct, you can both agree on how to share the expenses to make the correction before you conclude the transaction.


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If you are a graduate of Surveying, Geography, Physics or Mathematics
If you feel you have passion for fieldwork
If you believe you want to pursue a career in Surveying and GIS

Please send us your CV in PDF with a short cover letter to hr@oticsurveys.com on or before Oct 22nd, 2021

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CONSIDER THE LEVEL OF THE EXISTING ROADS AROUND YOUR PROPERTY WHEN BUILDING

If you are building for the first time, you need to know something; the level of your compound is very important! You need to consider the level of the existing roads around your property before you start building. This is especially important if the existing road has not been paved, you must make sure you get a good idea of what the finished road level will be and ensure your compound level is higher than it so that water flows from your compound outside.

Don’t assume your construction team will do the right thing and do not compromise on the level of your compound because of the cost of raising it to a suitable height.

Those whose compounds are unnecessarily flooded when it rains know what they go through.



#CONSTRUCTION
#REALESATE
#AJAH
#LEKKILAGOS

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1)You don’t need a red seal on your survey plan for it to be genuine. It doesn’t add any form of authenticity to it and it is NOT a requirement in Lagos and Ogun state. Anyone who says you need it is not telling you the truth

2)If your land is NOT government land, you don’t need a government surveyor to survey it. It will be surveyed by a private practicing surveyor and it will carry his own name, stamp, seal, and signature.

3) Your survey plan is NOT proof that the survey of your land has been registered. Your surveyor is supposed to give you at least one other document signed and stamped by the Office of the Surveyor General.

4) The fact that a survey plan was used to obtain a governor’s consent or C of O title from the government does not always mean that it is correct. If you are buying a land with title, please check the survey plan first.

5)In Lagos, if you buy land that is under government acquisition before consulting your surveyor, please do not expect him to register your survey and give you your Evidence of Lodgment of Record Copy document. He can’t register the survey until the land ceases to be completely under government acquisition.

Our recent experiences with some clients have further reinforced our belief that every property owner MUST make having all their property documents a priority. The following are some reasons why:

For the sake of your children. It makes it easier for your loved ones to inherit your property.
It serves as a strong proof of ownership.
It makes it easier for government to compensate you in case of unforeseen eventualities e.g. natural disaster, revocation etc.
It makes it easier for you to sell your property because most buyers want to see proof of ownership and authenticity of title.
It increases the value of your property.
Obtaining all your documents will cost you money but in the long run, it will be a very good decision.

tidalstorm:
Please, will there be extra training for the position?

Yes

LIST OF “OMONILE” TRICKS YOU SHOULD KNOW – PART 2
Recently, we had a few people who acquired their land directly from “omonile” (family land owners) and this is the second part of the tricks list which was created as a result of their “unnecessary” challenges.

1 They try to sell you land outside the area that has a good title(C of O, Excision, Governors Consent etc.)
You must ensure the land they are selling to you is within the area that has a good title because usually after a family has sold off all their lands with good title, they will start selling the adjoining/surrounding lands that have no title so you need to know the status of the parcel of land they want to sell to you. Lands with title are not sold at the same cost as the ones without title so you need to be careful and check before making any final commitment.

2 They try to sell you land less than the area you paid for.
You must ensure your own surveyor checks the size of the land they carve out for you before you make full payment. And always make sure their surveyor carves out the land.

3 They tell you that they have been talking with someone for a while and he is ready to pay anytime now but it is “first come, first serve” so you should pay quickly and secure the land.
This is almost always a lie. Don’t let anyone put you under pressure to pay until you have done all the necessary checks. In addition, insist on making part payment first because sometimes unexpected things come up after money has changed hands.


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If you are a graduate of Surveying, Geography, Physics or Mathematics
If you feel you have passion for fieldwork
If you believe you want to pursue a career in Surveying and GIS

Please send us your CV in PDF to hr@oticsurveys.com on or before July 2nd, 2021

LIST OF “OMONILE” TRICKS YOU SHOULD KNOW – PART 1
Recently, we had a few people who acquired their land directly from “omonile” (family land owners) and this tricks list was created as a result of their “unnecessary” challenges.

1 They tell you to ask your surveyor to carve out your land
Don’t do this. Ensure they use their own surveyor to carve out the land for you after which your surveyor will confirm the area and carry out your own survey. If your surveyor carves out the land himself, tomorrow they will tell you he didn’t do it well and give you reasons why they have to adjust your land or move you somewhere else.

2 They point to a parcel of land not far from the land they want to sell to you and say it’s one big cooperate body that bought it from them so their land is genuine.
Don’t base your decision to buy based on remarks such as this. Do your own investigation for the portion of land you want to buy.

3 They sell to you and later someone else comes and says he’s a part of the family and knows nothing about the transaction.
Always ensure that the family/seller confirms in your deed that there is no other brother/sister somewhere else that should be a party to the transaction and is not currently available. Always ensure that every party to the transaction signs the deeds.


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Recently, I had a conversation with a client who acquired a plot of land in Ikorodu for his kids and wanted to share it between them (half plot each). When we discussed the cost of the survey, he was surprised to know that he had to pay full survey fees for both of them since each survey will be in a different name. Then he came up with the idea of using one survey plan for both of them to reduce cost. I told him it could be done that way but that he should think about it well. A few seconds later he said “no, let us prepare separate survey plans. I don’t want them to quarrel over any property in the future. I want separate documents for each one. I want each of them to make their own decision about what they want to do about any property I acquire for them in the future without consulting the other. Don’t put them together please”.

In my opinion, this man made a good decision. It will cost him more to prepare separate title documents for his 2 kids now but that extra cost is the cost of peace of mind for everyone in the future and it is worth paying for.

A lot of families have had bitter experiences with this. As a mother/father, whatever you can do today to prevent it from happening to your family is worth doing.

Don’t buy problems for your children.

https://oticsurveys.com/dont-buy-problem-for-your-children/


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It is important to buy properties that have an existing title or at least properties for which you can obtain title easily. Lands with title are usually more expensive than those without title and that’s why you will see a land in Ibeju-Lekki selling for N1.2m/plot and another land less than 500 meters away from it is selling for N7m/plot. The difference is because of the title and in some cases, the level of development.

The title of a property is a big selling point and hence it is always mentioned when a property is advertised. But when buying a property that has a title that covers a large area, it is very important to know if the actual parcel being sold to you falls within that title.

A lot of people use an existing title in an area to sell their own property even though theirs does not fall within the titled land. For example, Ogombo has a big village excision title, but not all the lands in Ogombo are within it. But almost everyone that has a property for sale in Ogombo will tell you their land is within Ogombo Village Excision.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the property you want buy falls COMPLETELY within the area with the title before you pay. Your Surveyor will help you out with this.
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Recently, I had a conversion with a lady who’s into real estate sales and I found myself trying to explain to her that in Nigeria, by law, all land belongs to the government. She was surprised and said, “that may be true in Lagos but it’s not so in Portharcout. I have done deals in Portharcourt that had nothing to do with the government”. The truth is, the law recognizes indigenous ownership of land but all land belongs to the government.

It is for this reason that the government gives you a Certificate of Occupancy and not a Certificate of Ownership. You are given exclusive rights to the land and allowed to occupy it for a period of time. So, what you have is a right of occupancy and nothing more. This right can be revoked if you do not abide by its terms and conditions and if the land is needed by the government for the benefit of the public. And, even when you decide to sell the land, you can’t sell it legally without the consent of the government. That’s why the government issues every subsequent owner of the property a Governor’s Consent title.

This law is not unique to Nigeria. It is the same in most countries. And I think its origin is ancient because in the Old Testament book of Leviticus God said, “The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me”.

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We are looking for an intern to act as a survey assistant in the field and to help out with office work.

Requirements
You must be an undergraduate
Your internship must be for at least 6 months
You MUST live on the island (Lagos Island to Ibeju-Lekki)

If eligible, please send your name, school, location, and phone number to hr@oticsurveys.com

If you studied Geography or any related science course and you have some experience with QGIS or ARCGIS , please send your CV in PDF to hr@oticsurveys.com

*PS*
If you did not study geography but you have experience using QGIS, ARCGIS or any GIS software, and you want to work for a Surveying/GIS company, please send in your CV as well.

CVs sent in Microsoft word format will be deleted. Please send in PDF.

Abbeycaesar:
Please, would you consider a Geology graduate with knowledge of ARCGIS?

Yes

If you studied Geography and you have some experience with QGIS or ARCGIS and you like making maps, please send your CV in PDF to hr@oticsurveys.com

*PS*
If you did not study geography but you have experience using QGIS, ARCGIS or any GIS software, and you want to work for a Surveying/GIS company, please send in your CV as well.

If your property falls under federal government acquisition and you want to get a C of O from Lagos State through regularization, these are the requirements. Please note that not all federal government lands can be regularized like this so you need to find out for your area first.
1 Formal letter addressed to the Executive Secretary, Land Use and Allocation Committee Block 12 Room 5, Lands Bureau, Alausa
2 Standard Allocation Form (Free)
3 Purchase Receipt
4 Passport Photographs 5cm x 5cm with white background in case of applications for individuals
5 Tax clearance certificate of the applicant
6 Development Levy
7 Copies of Form C07 (Company)
8 Two Directors Tax Clearance Certificates and Development Levy(Company)
9 Attached Survey Plan in CTC (must be clear and chartable)
10 All payment receipts of Land Charges for the Federal Government Allocation
11 Certified True Copy of the root of Title
12 Picture of the site showing adjoining properties (left & right)
13 Letter of indemnity (in favour of Lagos state government)
14 Remittal receipt of CTC

Property verification in Lagos can be unnecessarily difficult. We are in 2020, and we still have to go to Alausa to do verification. By now there should be an online platform where people can visit to verify any property they are interested in. It doesn’t have to be free. People can pay a token to access the property database and from my experience, I know there are a lot of people who are willing to pay. We should not have to go to Alausa to verify title documents, survey plans, or property coordinates in 2020!

One of the enquiries we get a lot is from people who just want to verify that their survey plan has been duly registered. This should not be a big deal but today it is. This is a simple problem that the government can easily solve and charge people a token for. All they need to do is create an Online Survey Plan Checker. It will be a simple web application that is powered by a database that has been populated with all existing registered survey plans and it will be updated every day as new survey plans are registered. It will have a search tool that allows people to search for a survey plan using the plan number or the name on the survey.

There are so many people that will benefit from a tool like this e.g. surveyors, individuals, lawyers, physical planning office, real estate professionals, etc. In addition, it will reduce traffic in Lagos a bit since there will be no need to go to Alausa for verification.

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Believe or not, a lot of real estate companies selling land in Nigeria acquired their lands from families without paying for the land. Yes, they did not pay for the land! Instead, they paid for something that the family wanted and in return, the family gave them land. This method of land acquisition is generally called Sponsorship and it is cheaper compared to acquiring land outrightly. There are 3 basic types:

Survey Sponsorship

In this case you don’t pay for the land. Instead, you pay for the registration of the survey plan of the land. Families which own vast amounts of lands often times don’t have the money to do a registered survey of the land because it cost millions of naira. So, they look for someone who will “sponsor” the survey and registration. In exchange, they give the sponsor at least 1 plot per acre of the land. This means that if the land is 200 acres, the sponsor of the survey will get 200 plots.

Title Sponsorship

In this case, the family already has a registered survey of the land but they want to obtain a title from the government in order to properly secure their land and significantly increase its value. A sponsor helps them obtain a title such as excision or certificate of occupancy and gets land in return. The sponsor can negotiate for 1 and half plot per acre or 2 plots per acre in this case because obtaining title is for a large parcel of land is quite expensive.

Clearing Sponsorship

This is very similar to the survey sponsorship but the sponsor pays for the clearing of the land instead of the survey. In most cases, the remuneration is the same with survey sponsorship (1 plot per acre).

Regardless of the option you choose, make sure you do this kind of transaction with a family that is trustworthy and easy to deal with. In addition, ensure you do a boundary survey to check the status of the ENTIRE parcel of land first so you don’t end up exchanging your hard-earned money for a government committed land.

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Since today is 10/10/2020, I decided to pen down 10 lessons I have learned so far as a Surveyor and Professional.

1) Relationships matter – a lot. And If you don’t stay in touch with people, they may not remember you when they need your services
2) Always try to put the client’s interest ahead of your own.
3) Do all you can to satisfy a SERIOUS client
4) It is always cheaper to do the job right the first time.
5) These days people go online for almost everything so be visible online
6) It is not everyone that enquires about your services that will end up as a client.
7) Don’t judge a client by his/her appearance
8 ) Patience will take you a long way
9) If you want the future to be good, execute the present well
10) Don’t be greedy

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Recently, I have been getting enquires about backdated survey plans and I don’t understand why. People call to find out about the cost of survey and after I tell them the cost, the next question is, “how much for the backdated one?”.

If you are negotiating with a surveyor and he says there are two types of survey; current survey and backdated survey please hang up and do not bother talking with him/her again because you will be scammed. You will be told the backdated survey is cheaper than the current survey but it is a scam because the so-called backdated survey will not be registered. A lot of people fall for this scam in their quest for the cheapest service they can find.

The date on the survey plan should the date the survey was carried out or a date after the survey. If you hire a surveyor to carry out a survey of your property in 2020 and when receive your survey plan the date on it is 2015, you should know there is a problem. The survey plan was backdated. Please reject it and ask for a survey plan with current date.

https://oticsurveys.com/avoid-backdated-survey-plans/

There is nothing like Backdated Survey Plan. The backdating of survey plans is wrong. Why would you do something in 2020 and say you did it in 2015? Backdating forces you to falsify the information on your other property documents because if your survey plan carries a date in 2015, why is the date on your receipt or agreement 2020? So, your surveyor entered another person’s property to survey it 5 years ago and you bought it five years after?

Reject backdated survey plans.

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People often ask me to use the coordinates picked on a property they are interested in to verify the true owner at Alausa. They are always surprised and disappointed when I say I can’t verify the ownership of a property at Alausa except the property has a registered deed/existing title. The truth is, in most cases, if you take the coordinates of a land to Alausa for verification, nobody will be able to tell you who owns the land. You have to find out the owner yourself through whatever documents the seller presents, asking questions in the neighbourhood and any other means you can employ. It is quite unfortunate that Lagos state does not have the technology to do this and that’s why people get scammed too often.

I believe there has to be a way to keep track of the ownership history of every property and to monitor all property transactions in a state –especially Lagos state. There ought to be one geospatial database where every single real estate transaction is recorded in a way that makes it extremely difficult to purchase a property from the wrong person or buy a government committed land or pay for a property that has already been sold to someone else. The location, ownership details, history and boundary coordinates of every property should be stored in a geospatial database. Any real estate transaction consummated and not recorded in this database will be considered null and void.

https://oticsurveys.com/property-ownership-verification-issues-in-lagos-state/

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Once this is in place, whenever anyone needs to confirm the owner and history of a property, the boundary coordinates of the property will suffice. Lagos state government will charge a fee for this service and I believe that most people will be willing to pay to get the facts of a property before making any commitments.

It is not rocket science. Lagos state government really needs to work on this.

I am beginning to wonder when Lagos State will resume granting excisions to villages in the Ibeju-Lekki/Epe axis so that their lands can have more value and can attract reputable investors. The most recent gazette I have seen were issued in 2012. For years now, through the help of real estate companies and land title sponsors, a lot of villages/communities have submitted applications for excision but they have not been granted. This is the main reason why there are so many real estate companies selling land in the Ibeju-Lekki axis with “excision in process” title. These companies don’t know when or if their application for excision will be granted but they have a lot of potential customers who are eager to buy from them. So, what do they do? They sell the lands to these people at cheap rates (because it has no title).

The government really has to look at all the applications for excision they have received in the past years and grant those that will be granted and publish gazettes as quickly as possible so everyone can know where they stand. The amount of people who have bought land and can’t build or can’t get an allocation is alarming. A lot of hard-earned money has been tied down because of these lands that are under government acquisition but have been sold to people. And if the government knows that they won’t be granting excisions anytime soon, they should let everyone know through publications in the newspapers and other media.

Too many enquiries about red copy these days from people who want to survey their property. There is nothing like red copy. There is no red document anywhere in Alausa! Red copy is simply the short form of Record Copy. Record copy is simply a record of the survey plan which is lodged at the office of the Surveyor General of the state.

In Lagos state, when you hire a surveyor to do a registered survey of your property, you will get at least two documents from him/her namely:

1-Survey Plan
2-Evidence of Lodgment of Record Copy

The record copy is what a lot of people have come to refer to as red copy over the years. The record copy is NOT for the client, it is for the government. After carrying out the survey, the surveyor will give his client the survey plan first. Then he will submit the record copy of that survey plan and a letter to the government. During the processing of the record copy, it will be taken to several offices for processing and it will end up at the records department. After it is checked at the records office, it will be retained but the letter will be stamped by the records department and returned to the surveyor. This stamped letter is then referred to as the “Evidence of Lodgment of Record Copy”. It signifies that the land has been duly registered and it is what the client gets NOT the record copy.

www.oticsurveys.com/blog

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Too many enquiries about red copy these days from people who want to survey their property. There is nothing like red copy. There is no red document anywhere in Alausa! Red copy is simply the short form of Record Copy. Record copy is simply a record of the survey plan which is lodged at the office of the Surveyor General of the state.

In Lagos state, when you hire a surveyor to do a registered survey of your property, you will get at least two documents from him/her namely:

1-Survey Plan
2-Evidence of Lodgment of Record Copy

The record copy is what a lot of people have come to refer to as red copy over the years. The record copy is NOT for the client, it is for the government. After carrying out the survey, the surveyor will give his client the survey plan first. Then he will submit the record copy of that survey plan and a letter to the government. During the processing of the record copy, it will be taken to several offices for processing and it will end up at the records department. After it is checked at the records office, it will be retained but the letter will be stamped by the records department and returned to the surveyor. This stamped letter is then referred to as the “Evidence of Lodgment of Record Copy”. It signifies that the land has been duly registered and it is what the client gets NOT the record copy.

www.oticsurveys.com/blog

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