70% of Nigerian Properties Still Lack Legal Ownership Documents
Most properties in Nigeria may not legally belong to the people occupying them. Surveyors warn the country’s weak land documentation system is slowing investment and deepening housing insecurity.
Surveyors in Nigeria say nearly 70% of properties across the country lack proper legal titles, raising concerns about ownership disputes, fraud, and stalled real estate investment.
Industry experts argue that outdated land administration systems and slow registration processes continue to prevent millions of property owners from securing official documentation.
The lack of legal titles is also limiting access to mortgages and reducing confidence among both local and foreign investors. Analysts warn that informal ownership structures make it harder for governments to properly tax, plan, and regulate urban growth in rapidly expanding cities.
Surveyors are now pushing for digitized land records and faster title processing reforms to unlock billions of dollars in dormant real estate value.
Read the full story at Punch Nigeria →