--- title: "Can a Foreigner Buy Land in Lagos? Rules for Non-Nigerians" url: "https://buyrentlagos.com/articles/can-a-foreigner-buy-land-in-lagos-rules-for-non-nigerians" published: "2026-05-04T07:00:00+00:00" updated: "2026-10-08T04:23:17.821623+00:00" author: "Laide Matthews" category: "Buying" verified: false --- # Can a Foreigner Buy Land in Lagos? Rules for Non-Nigerians Yes, but with a gate most buyers never hear about until their lawyer stops the deal: under Lagos State's Acquisition of Land by Aliens Law, a non-Nigerian cannot validly acquire an interest in land from a Nigerian citizen without the **prior written approval of the Governor** — a transaction without it is void. The common workarounds are buying through a Nigerian-incorporated company, or structuring a proper lease, both still with Governor's Consent on top. **TL;DR:** Yes, but with a gate most buyers never hear about until their lawyer stops the deal: under Lagos State's Acquisition of Land by Aliens Law, a non-Nigerian cannot validly acquire an interest in land from a Nigerian citizen without the **prior written approval of the Governor** — a transaction without it is void. The common workarounds are buying through a Nigerian-incorporated company, or structuring a proper lease, both still with Governor's Consent on top. ## First, understand what anyone "owns" in Lagos Since the Land Use Act of 1978, all land in a state is vested in the Governor, held in trust. Nobody — Nigerian or foreigner — owns soil outright. What you acquire is a **right of occupancy** (evidenced by a Certificate of Occupancy), typically for up to 99 years, and every assignment, sublease over the threshold, or mortgage needs the Governor's consent. Foreigners then face a second gate on top of that first one. ## The Aliens Law gate The Acquisition of Land by Aliens Law (Lagos State) restricts how non-Nigerians acquire land from citizens: - An alien may not acquire any interest or right in land **from a Nigerian citizen** unless the transaction has been **previously approved in writing by the Governor**. - An instrument made without that approval is **void** — not imperfect, void. Your registered-looking deed is worth nothing against the law. - Even occupying a citizen's land is unlawful for an alien unless the right to occupy came through an approved transaction. - If a foreigner's lawfully acquired interest must later be sold under legal process, the law directs the sale first to the State Government, and if it declines, to a Nigerian citizen. There are exemptions the Governor may declare for certain bodies, and the law targets acquisitions from citizens — buying directly from government allocation follows its own conditions. But for the ordinary expatriate buying a house in Ikoyi from a Nigerian seller: the approval is not optional paperwork; it is the legality of your purchase. ## The routes that actually work **Route 1: Personal purchase with prior approval.** Apply for the Governor's approval of the alien acquisition before completing the transaction, then run the normal consent, stamping and registration sequence. Slower, and your lawyer must sequence it correctly — completion before approval is the classic failure. **Route 2: Nigerian-incorporated company.** Foreigners routinely acquire property through a company incorporated in Nigeria with the CAC. A Nigerian-incorporated company is treated as a Nigerian person for land purposes even with foreign shareholders, which takes the transaction out of the Aliens Law problem. The company still needs Governor's Consent for its acquisition, pays company-level compliance (annual returns, taxes), and its shares become the asset you truly control. This is the standard structure for investors buying more than a personal home. **Route 3: Long lease and other interests.** Where freehold-equivalent purchase is blocked or slow, a structured long lease from a citizen or institution — properly documented and consented — can deliver use and investment value without an acquisition the law voids. **Route 4: Buy from the state or a scheme.** Direct allocation from government or purchase within schemes that contemplate foreign buyers follows the scheme's own terms — still with consent and registration, but a cleaner approval path. ## Who counts as a "foreigner" here Non-Nigerian citizens and foreign companies. Nigerians in the diaspora who retain Nigerian citizenship are citizens, not aliens, for this purpose — the restrictions discussed here do not apply to them. Dual nationals should confirm their position with counsel, because how a person is treated can turn on the citizenship they transact under. Embassies and international organisations operate under separate arrangements entirely. ## Practical buying checklist for non-Nigerians 1. Decide the vehicle (personal with approval, or Nigerian company) **before** paying a deposit. 2. Full title search at the Lagos Lands Registry — foreigners attract the most creative land fraud in Lagos; verify the seller owns what is being sold. 3. Sequence approval/consent correctly with a Lagos property lawyer; never "complete now, regularise later." 4. Budget the standard perfection package (around 3% of assessed value) plus the alien-approval process costs where applicable. 5. Think about exit on day one: who may buy from you, and what approvals that sale will need. _General information on the law as it stands, not legal advice. Foreign acquisitions are exactly where a Lagos property lawyer earns the fee._ ## Frequently asked questions ### Can a foreigner buy a house in Lagos in their own name? Only with the Governor's prior written approval under the Acquisition of Land by Aliens Law when buying from a Nigerian citizen. Without that approval the transaction is void. Many foreigners instead buy through a Nigerian-incorporated company. ### Do foreigners own land in Nigeria or lease it? Everyone holds a right of occupancy under the Land Use Act — commonly up to 99 years — not absolute freehold. Foreigners hold that right subject to the additional Aliens Law approvals. ### Does the Aliens Law apply to Nigerians living abroad? Nigerian citizens, including diaspora Nigerians holding Nigerian citizenship, are not "aliens" under the law. Dual citizens should confirm their position with a lawyer before transacting. ### Can a foreign-owned Nigerian company buy land? Yes. A CAC-incorporated company is treated as a Nigerian entity for land acquisition even with foreign shareholders, though it still needs Governor's Consent and must maintain company compliance. ### What happens if I already bought without approval? Get legal advice immediately. The law treats unapproved alien acquisitions from citizens as void, so the regularisation route — if available — runs through counsel and the state, not through the seller's assurances. ## Related reading - [Buying Property in a Lagos Estate: Rules, Fees & What to Ask](/articles/buying-property-in-a-lagos-estate-rules-fees-what-to-ask) - [Should You Buy Land or a Finished Home in Lagos? (Diaspora Edition)](/articles/should-you-buy-land-or-a-finished-home-in-lagos-diaspora-edition) - [How to Buy Property for Your Children in Lagos (Trust & Gift)](/articles/how-to-buy-property-for-your-children-in-lagos-trust-and-gift) - [Buying Land in Ibeju-Lekki: Title Guide (What's Safe, What's Not)](/articles/buying-land-in-ibeju-lekki-title-guide-what-s-safe-what-s-not)