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Every BuyRentLagos story filed under Property Guide, newest first. 39 stories.
A deed of conveyance is the legal document transferring absolute ownership (freehold-style interest) in property from seller to buyer — the older, pre-Land Use Act instrument for outright transfers. In modern Lagos transactions, you'll far more often encounter deeds of *assignment* (transferring a right of occupancy under the Land Use Act).
Laide Matthews · 28 March 2026 · 3 min read
Property lawyers in Lagos typically charge 5–10% of the transaction value for land deals (or a negotiated fixed fee), covering verification, documentation, and perfection. That percentage is for professional fees only — statutory charges like consent fees and stamp duty are separate and often larger.
Laide Matthews · 25 March 2026 · 4 min read
Before paying for land in Lagos, demand: the claimed title document, the registered survey plan, the gazette reference (if excision is claimed), the deed or root-of-title history, the seller's ID, proof of the seller's authority to sell, tax/ground rent receipts, the family resolution (for family land), a recent search report, and written payment terms. If a seller can't produce these, you're not ready to pay — regardless of how good the "deal" looks.
Laide Matthews · 24 March 2026 · 3 min read
When someone says land is "in the gazette" in Lagos, they mean the government's excision of that land was officially published in the Lagos State Gazette — the public record proving the land was released from government acquisition. It's strong supporting evidence, not a title you own.
Laide Matthews · 24 March 2026 · 3 min read
Verify a C of O in Lagos by having your lawyer run a formal search at the Lagos Land Registry in Alausa — checking the certificate number, the plot it covers, the name it's issued in, and whether any mortgages or disputes are recorded against it. Never accept a photocopy at face value: forged C of Os are one of the most common instruments of land fraud in the state.
Laide Matthews · 23 March 2026 · 3 min read
A registered survey is a survey plan prepared by a licensed surveyor and officially lodged with the Office of the Surveyor General in Lagos, carrying a unique registered number. It matters because it's the only survey document that legally ties your deed to a specific piece of ground — unregistered survey plans can't be independently verified and won't support a defensible title.
Laide Matthews · 23 March 2026 · 3 min read
Land under government acquisition in Lagos belongs to the state for public purposes — buying it means your ownership can be wiped out when the government reclaims it. Check acquisition status through a registry search at Alausa, survey charting at the Surveyor General's office, and a preliminary LAGIS check.
Laide Matthews · 22 March 2026 · 4 min read
Charting a survey plan means submitting it to the Office of the Surveyor General in Alausa so officials can confirm the coordinates match a real location free from government acquisition. Your licensed surveyor handles the submission; you should insist on seeing the charted result with its official endorsement.
Laide Matthews · 22 March 2026 · 3 min read
A deed of assignment is the legal document that transfers ownership of land or property from seller to buyer in Lagos. For it to protect you, it must identify the parties, describe the property precisely (with the survey plan number), state the price, trace the seller's root of title, include the seller's covenants, and be properly executed, stamped, and registered.
Laide Matthews · 22 March 2026 · 4 min read
A proper registered survey in Lagos — done by a licensed surveyor, with the plan charted at the Surveyor General's office — typically costs between ₦200,000 and ₦500,000 for a standard plot as of 2026, varying with location, size, and terrain. Beaconing, charting fees, and transport add to the base fee.
Laide Matthews · 21 March 2026 · 3 min read
"Omo onile" means children of the landowners — the family members who control ancestral land in Lagos. Buying family land can be legitimate and affordable, but it's the highest-risk land transaction in the state: multiple family factions can sell the same plot, and "settlers" may show up demanding fresh payments.
Laide Matthews · 21 March 2026 · 4 min read
Excision is when the Lagos State Government releases land back to the original family or community after acquiring it under the Land Use Act. Excised land is safe to buy — but only if the excision was officially published in the gazette and your lawyer and surveyor verify it independently.
Laide Matthews · 20 March 2026 · 3 min read