How to Verify Land Before Buying in Lagos: Step-by-Step Due Diligence

TL;DR: To verify land in Lagos, confirm the title at the Lagos Land Registry in Alausa, chart the survey plan at the Surveyor General's office, check the gazette for excision claims, and inspect the physical plot — all before paying a kobo. Do it in that order, and never let the seller's agent "handle the verification" for you.

Every year, smart people lose life savings on Lagos land. Not because they're foolish, but because they skipped steps that take days and cost a fraction of the purchase price.

Here's the exact due diligence sequence I walk my clients through. No shortcuts.

Step 1: Demand the Documents Upfront

Before anything else, ask the seller (or agent) for:

• The title document being claimed (C of O, gazette reference, deed, etc.)
• The survey plan with its registered number
• The name the land is registered under
• A photocopy of the seller's ID

A genuine seller produces these without drama. If you get stories — "the documents are with my uncle," "we'll show you after you pay a commitment fee" — pause everything. I've never seen a legitimate deal start with document hide-and-seek.

Step 2: Search the Title at the Lagos Land Registry

Your lawyer takes the documents to the Lands Registry at Alausa, Ikeja, and runs a formal search. This reveals whether the title is genuine, whether the land is under government acquisition, and whether there are competing claims, mortgages, or liens on it.

This is the single most important step. Everything else is supporting evidence; the registry search is the verdict. Budget for your lawyer's time here — it's the best money you'll spend in the entire transaction.

You can run a preliminary check yourself on LAGIS (the Lagos Geographic Information System) to flag obvious problems early. But LAGIS doesn't replace the certified registry search. Only the registry's result carries legal weight.

Step 3: Chart the Survey Plan

Your licensed surveyor takes the survey plan to the Office of the Surveyor General in Alausa to "chart" it — basically confirming the coordinates on paper match a real location that's free from government acquisition.

This step catches one of the most common scams: a genuine survey plan for land somewhere else, presented as if it covers the plot you're being shown. Charting ties the paper to the ground. Never skip it.

Step 4: Verify Excision in the Gazette (If Claimed)

If the seller claims excision, your lawyer confirms the excision was actually published in the Lagos State Gazette — with the correct community name, location, and boundaries. A verbal "it's been excised" from a family head is worth exactly nothing until the gazette says so.

Step 5: Inspect the Land Physically

Go see the plot. Walk it. Confirm the beacons (corner markers) match the survey. Look for signs of dispute — fresh "this land is not for sale" inscriptions, rival claimants, ongoing construction by someone else.

Take photos and video with timestamps. If you're buying from abroad, get someone you trust — not the seller's agent — to do the inspection and send you unedited footage.

Step 6: Confirm the Seller Can Actually Sell

This is where family land deals collapse. Confirm the person signing has the authority to sell: are they the registered owner, an authorized family representative with proper documentation, or an attorney with a valid power of attorney? For family land, ask for the family resolution authorizing the sale and confirm with independent family members — not just the ones the agent introduces you to.

What This Costs vs What It Saves

Full due diligence — lawyer's search fees, surveyor's charting, transport, documentation — typically runs into the low hundreds of thousands of naira. On a ₦20 million plot, that's roughly 1-2% of the deal.

I've seen people lose the entire ₦20 million. The math isn't close.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does land verification take in Lagos? A thorough process takes 2 to 4 weeks: the registry search, survey charting, gazette confirmation, and physical inspection each take days. Anyone pressuring you to "pay today or lose it" is telling you exactly why you shouldn't.

Can I verify land in Lagos from abroad? Yes. Engage an independent lawyer and surveyor (not the seller's people), run the registry and charting searches, and arrange an independent physical inspection with video evidence. Never rely solely on the seller's agent for verification.

What is LAGIS and is it enough for verification? LAGIS is the Lagos Geographic Information System — a digital tool for preliminary checks on a property's status. It's useful for early flagging but doesn't replace the certified search at the physical registry in Alausa, which is the only result with legal weight.

Who should do my land verification — the agent or my own lawyer? Your own lawyer and your own surveyor, always. An agent's job is to close the sale; their incentives point the wrong way for verification. This isn't cynicism, it's structure.

What are the biggest red flags during land verification? Documents that can't be produced, survey plans that don't chart, excision claims with no gazette reference, sellers who can't prove authority to sell, pressure to pay before verification is complete, and prices far below market for the area. Any one of these is a full stop.