In Lagos, a land title or title document is a dedicated document detailing information about the owner of a property. This includes some of the specifics of the property you own. Which of these land titles is the best for someone looking to buy a property in Lagos State, Nigeria? Find out in this article!

Popular Land Title Documents Issued in Lagos

The most common title documents in Lagos State include Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), Gazette, Deed of Assignment, Survey Plan and Land Purchase Receipt.

Let’s look at them in details:

1. Certificate of Occupancy (C of O)

This is a title document detailing the full ownership of a property by the person so-named in the Certificate.

Part of the conditions to getting your C of O include:

  • Meeting the requirements set by the Lagos State Government.
  • Explaining what the land or property would be used for. It usually falls into any of the following: residential,  commercial or a combination of both.
  • Being the first person to purchase the land, especially if it is located in the urban area.

The Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is one of the land titles in Lagos State because of these reasons:

  • Since it is issued by the State Government; you are confident of not having the legitimacy contested.
  • You will have a longer term of ownership of the property up to 99 years.
  • You can tender the C of O in mortgage transactions.
  • In cases of land disputes or contests, tendering the C of O will go a long way to resolve the issue faster.

2. Deed of Assignment

You need to get the Deed of Assignment (also interchangeably called the Deed of Conveyance) ready if you want to buy a property that has a C of O.

The Deed is a mutual agreement between the seller/owner of the property and the buyer. The agreement states the following:

  • The transfer of the seller or property owner’s rights, title(s), ownership and interests in the said property to the buyer.
  • Both parties (seller and buyer)’s promise to carry-out the transaction.
  • The agreed payment for the property and the buyer’s willingness to accept the offer.
  • The property’s history, including the previous ownerships down to the current transaction.

When all these details have been drafted and signed by both parties; it will be taken to the next stage of getting the Governor’s Consent.

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3. Governor’s Consent

Although many would argue that this is merely a signature and not a document; the Governor’s Consent passes for one of the important land titles in Lagos. Here’s why:

  • Since the State retains the right to retrieve a land with a C of O after 99 years; it is important to notify the Lagos State Governor of the current owner’s intention to sell it to someone else before the expiration of the term.
  • With the Consent of the Governor, via the provision of the requirements, including the mutual agreement of the seller and buyer (Deed of Assignment) – the approval will be given.
  • When issued, the Governor’s Consent permits the seller to alienate him or herself from the property. That alienation include the interests, rights and ownership claims to the buyer.

4. Purchase Receipt

This is also called the Land Purchase Receipt. It is a document detailing the exchanging of money for the said property.

To validate the confirmation of receipt of funds for the property, the following details must be included in the receipt:

  • The buyer’s name
  • The seller’s name
  • Signatures of the seller and buyer and;
  • The amount paid for the property.

5. Approved Survey Plan

Also called Survey Plan for short, the Approved Survey Plan is a land title showing the location, coordinates and size of the piece of land. It is important to request for this document because of these reasons:

  • It helps you confirm from the Office of the Lagos State Surveyor-General whether the land belongs to the government or not.
  • The Approved Survey Plan is your “pathway” to locating the land.

6. Letter of Administration

This is a land title that comes into effect following the death of a property or estate owner. You will receive the Letter of Administration when the property owner died without a will. Hence, it becomes pertinent to use the legal means to do the following:

  • Establish eligible persons as beneficiaries of the estate.
  • After the appointment, the named persons would have to apply and get the Letter of Administration, which is subject to approval by the law court.

7. Excision Document

This type of land title is obtained in Lagos, in a case where the purchased property originally belonged to the Lagos State Government. The Land Use Act of 1978 permits the State Governors in Nigeria to take control of the lands in the States.

Hence, if these lands would be released back to the original/ancestral owners either in full or in parts – they would be excised.

If you are buying such a land, you need to get the Excision Document, which signifies that the government has “hands-offed” the land and it is up to the owners to sell to anyone.

The list of excised lands in the State and the communities, real estate companies or villages that got the excision grant will be published in a Gazette.

8. Grant of Probate

This is a land title in Lagos used to transfer the ownership of a deceased’s properties or estates to some other people.

Here is the typical process:

  • The Executor of the deceased’s Will needs to present the Will. He also needs to prove the validity of the Will.
  • When this has been successfully done at the Probate Registry; the Registry will in turn, vest the ownership of the properties to the beneficiaries by presenting them with the Grant of Probate.

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Concluding Thoughts

Having the best land title(s) in Lagos helps protect you from getting into the wrong hands, such as fraudulent agents and the unending Omonile wahala.

Making due diligence and buying your properties through a reliable real estate company like Godsland Empire will save you all the headache of figuring things out.

Would you like to buy land or house in Epe, Ajah, Lekki, Ibeju-Lekki or anywhere in Nigeria? Reach out to us on +234 806 400 3456 or send an email to support@godslandempire.com. We are ever ready to assist you on your property ownership journey in Nigeria.