The Federal Government says it is pushing for land registration, documentation and titling that will involve all land parcels in the country to ensure efficient and economically viable land administration.
The Government reveals that the aim of the exercise which was mooted during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s time is to increase formalization of land transactions from less than 10% to over 50% within a decade.
Ahmed Dangiwa, the minister for housing and urban development, who disclosed this at a real estate conference in Lagos on Thursday, explained further that the reason for this push is to stem further growth of dead capital in the country estimated at $300billion.
Land ownership in Nigeria is in two categories – formal and informal. According to experts, only 10% of the entire land area in Nigeria is formalised, meaning that such land areas are registered and documented with titles such as Certificates of Occupancy (C of O).
This certificate gives any piece of land that has it legal recognition and security. It also enables landowners to use their property for loans or investments, thereby fostering economic growth.
On the other hand, informal land ownership dominates, relying on customary arrangements, verbal agreements, or inheritance without legal documentation which is why Andrew Nervin, former chief economist at PwC, said that land tenure and ownership in Nigeria is the most rigid globally.
While culturally entrenched and accessible, untitled land leaves owners vulnerable to disputes, evictions and limits the economic utility of land. Without formal titles, such properties cannot be leveraged for financial opportunities or government support.
Dangiwa noted that the Land Use Act of 1978 is the overriding legal instrument for land administration in Nigeria, but much of its provision is either outdated or impossible to implement within the current framework.
“We are working to review the Act in collaboration with the National Assembly to make it relevant and comprehensive to deal with existing and emerging issues around access to land and its administration,” the minister said.
He recalled that, earlier this year, the ministry instituted Four Reforms Task Teams to help provide the framework for driving the implementation of the ministry’s plans. One of them was the Land Reforms Task Team, headed by Ugochukwu Chime, a renowned housing expert with decades of experience in the sector.
“Leveraging the work done by the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms (PTCLR), the task team was charged with building a framework for effective land administration in Nigeria, as well as the proposed establishment of the National Land Commission to operationalize the Act,” he said.
Shehu Osidi, the managing director and chief executive of the federal mortgage of bank (FMBN), who also spoke at the real estate conference in Lagos, cited a 2019 PwC study which says that about 75% of the nation’s estimated 42 million housing stock falls below the United Nation’s criteria for permanent human occupation.
“In addition, the nation’s dismal record of untitled land implies that about $300 billion, roughly 60 percent of national GDP, is ‘dead capital’ as the owners cannot realise tangible earnings or utilise the assets to improve their economic status,” he said.
He recalled that the federal government, in September 2024, announced a landmark partnership with the World Bank aimed at registering all land titles in Nigeria within five years, adding that the initiative, led by the ministry of housing seeks to address the challenges posed by untitled land.
He explained that, “by formalizing land ownership, the partnership aims to unlock vast economic potential, including an estimated $300 billion in dead capital, ensuring clarity and security in land ownership while transforming Nigeria’s land administration system.”
A key component of this partnership, he said, involves collaborating with state governments to register, document, and title all land parcels. This collaboration is designed to bring landowners, communities, and regional authorities into the formal land system, ensuring inclusivity and widespread participation.
“By providing clear and secure land ownership records, the initiative aims to unlock development opportunities, foster sustainable land use, and attract local and foreign investment. In November 2024, the ministry revealed plans to establish a National Land Digital System (NLDS), a modern digital registry that will facilitate the efficient and secure verification of land titles,” he stated.
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