Buying, building and owning property in Nigeria from abroad

Can Nigerians abroad and dual citizens buy land in Nigeria?

Yes. Section 43 of Nigeria's Constitution gives every Nigerian citizen the right to acquire and own immovable property anywhere in Nigeria, and it sets no condition about where you live. That covers Nigerians living in the UK, the US, Canada or anywhere else. NG-S2 NG-S1 NG-S4 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S2 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, updated to the 5th Alteration (2023) (text in FAOLEX)Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S1 Land Use Act, Cap. L5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (text in FAOLEX)Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S4 FAQAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

Under section 28(1) of the Constitution, a Nigerian citizen by birth does not lose Nigerian citizenship by holding another nationality, so a dual citizen by birth keeps the same right. If you became Nigerian by registration or naturalisation, check with an expert before relying on this.

Under Nigeria's Land Use Act, the land in each state is vested in that state's Governor, who holds it in trust for the use and common benefit of all Nigerians. This is why, in a state, a sale of a statutory right of occupancy needs that Governor's consent first.

In the FCT (Abuja), AGIS says only the FCT Minister, acting on the President's delegated powers, can allocate land. A right of occupancy there is granted for a fixed term, normally up to 99 years for residential use and 35 to 70 years for other uses.

We have not confirmed the rules for people who are not Nigerian citizens from an official source. If you are not a citizen, check with an expert before you commit to a purchase in Nigeria.

How do you check who owns land in Lagos or Abuja?

This page covers title checks in Nigeria for Lagos State and the FCT (Abuja) only; run one before you pay anything. In the FCT, the land registry is AGIS (Abuja Geographic Information Systems). According to AGIS, a legal search costs ₦10,000 on a private or individual file and ₦20,000 on a commercial or organisational file, and the result is usually ready within 24 hours and at most three days. NG-S3 NG-S4 NG-S5 NG-S1 NG-S16 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S3 Processes and payments requirementsAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S4 FAQAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S5 Revocation of land (public notice)Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S1 Land Use Act, Cap. L5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (text in FAOLEX)Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S16 Surveyors Information Management System: Public Surveyor Verification SystemSurveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

For land in Lagos State, ask the Lands Bureau or an expert how to run an official search and what it costs now; we could not confirm the current fee from an official source. To find out whether a Lagos plot is under government acquisition or has been excised, check with an expert.

In the FCT, also make sure the right of occupancy is still in force. AGIS says failing to pay ground rent and other land charges can lead to withdrawal or revocation, and the FCT Minister has revoked plots for non-development under section 28(5) of the Land Use Act.

A registry search tells you what the record says. A registered surveyor then confirms that the plot on the ground matches it; you can check a surveyor's registration and licence status on SURCON's public verification system.

How do you check a house or off-plan apartment in Nigeria before you pay?

In Nigeria, a house or flat starts with the same title search as a plot: confirm that the seller or developer holds the right to the land the building stands on. The sale of that right still needs consent under the Land Use Act. NG-S1 NG-S13 NG-S14 NG-S22 NG-S21 NG-S3 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S1 Land Use Act, Cap. L5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (text in FAOLEX)Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S13 About Planning PermitLagos State e-Planning Permit, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S14 LASRERA Initiative (sale and tenancy registration)Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S22 Public Search (iCRP)Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S21 Mandate and functions of SCUMLSpecial Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), EFCC · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S3 Processes and payments requirementsAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

In Lagos State, ask to see the building's planning permit. The Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) requires a permit before any form of development, so a building without one is a warning sign. LASRERA, the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority, also says the sale of a house, flat, shop or complex must be registered with it, and that buyer and seller share responsibility for registering.

For an off-plan apartment in Nigeria, check the developer as a business before you pay a deposit. Search its company or business name on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) public search, and use SCUML's online certificate check: SCUML, the EFCC unit for anti-money-laundering compliance, lists estate developers among the businesses it supervises. Pay in stages tied to progress someone independent has seen, not in full upfront.

In the FCT (Abuja), AGIS says the plot must be developed before it processes a deed of assignment or gift, and lists a payment of 8% of the property's value for that step. More on buying a house or apartment from abroad.

What permits and checks do you need to build in Nigeria from abroad?

In Lagos State, you need a planning permit from the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) before any form of development, and the plans must be prepared by the appropriate registered professionals, according to the Lagos e-Planning Permit service. For building approval in the FCT (Abuja), check with an expert; we have not yet confirmed the requirements and fees from an official source. NG-S13 NG-S17 NG-S16 NG-S5 NG-S1 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S13 About Planning PermitLagos State e-Planning Permit, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S17 Registration verificationCouncil for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S16 Surveyors Information Management System: Public Surveyor Verification SystemSurveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S5 Revocation of land (public notice)Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S1 Land Use Act, Cap. L5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (text in FAOLEX)Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

Check the professionals before you hire them in Nigeria. COREN, the engineering regulator, lets anyone confirm an engineer's or engineering firm's registration online with the COREN number, and SURCON does the same for surveyors and survey companies.

In the FCT, an empty plot carries its own risk: the FCT Minister has revoked plots for non-development under section 28(5) of the Land Use Act, for breaching the development terms of the right of occupancy.

We have not found an official or professional-body figure for what it costs to build a house in Nigeria, so we don't publish one; ask a quantity surveyor to price your own plans. Release money to a contractor in stages, after an independent engineer has checked each stage. More on building and developing from abroad.

Can you use a power of attorney from the UK, US or Canada to buy property in Nigeria?

In Lagos State and the FCT (Abuja), a power of attorney relating to land can be registered at the land registry. The Lagos Lands Registry lists it among the instruments it registers, and in the FCT, AGIS charges ₦102,000 to process a power of attorney, plus ₦2,000 for each extra copy. NG-S7 NG-S3 NG-S1 NG-S20 NG-S32 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S7 Frequently asked questions (Land Services, Regularisation, Lands Registry)Lands Bureau, Lagos State Government · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S3 Processes and payments requirementsAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S1 Land Use Act, Cap. L5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (text in FAOLEX)Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S20 Notary Public (Electronic Notary Register)Supreme Court of Nigeria · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S32 Important Notice: NBA Introduces Digital Annual Practice Licenses for 2025Nigerian Bar Association · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

How a power of attorney signed in the UK, the US or Canada must be notarised and authenticated before it is used in Nigeria is not yet confirmed from an official source. Check with an expert before you sign, and keep the power limited to the property and the steps you need.

In Lagos State, stamp duty must be paid on title documents before the Lands Registry will register them. We couldn't confirm the current Lagos stamp duty on a power of attorney from a current official source, and official sources disagree on the duty on a deed of assignment, so check with an expert before paying either.

Whoever signs for you, the transfer still needs consent under Nigeria's Land Use Act, and a transaction that passes an interest in land other than as the Act provides is void. To check a notary in Nigeria, use the Supreme Court's Electronic Notary Register, which the Court says allows public verification of notaries and notarised documents. Have your own lawyer review the sale agreement, and ask to see their current NBA digital practice licence. More on notary and legal paperwork.

How do you check a seller, agent, developer or contractor in Nigeria?

In Nigeria, several of the people in a property deal can be checked against an official register online. Check before you pay, and match the name on the register to the name on the contract and on the bank account you pay into. NG-S16 NG-S17 NG-S18 NG-S19 NG-S20 NG-S32 NG-S33 NG-S21 NG-S22 NG-S14 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S16 Surveyors Information Management System: Public Surveyor Verification SystemSurveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S17 Registration verificationCouncil for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S18 Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (home)Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S19 Register of ESVsEstate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S20 Notary Public (Electronic Notary Register)Supreme Court of Nigeria · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S32 Important Notice: NBA Introduces Digital Annual Practice Licenses for 2025Nigerian Bar Association · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S33 Commencement of payment of 2026 Bar Practising Fee (BPF)Nigerian Bar Association · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S21 Mandate and functions of SCUMLSpecial Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), EFCC · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S22 Public Search (iCRP)Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S14 LASRERA Initiative (sale and tenancy registration)Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

• Surveyors: SURCON's public verification system confirms registered surveyors, enlisted survey companies and current licence status.
• Engineers: COREN confirms an engineer's or engineering firm's registration with the COREN number.
• Estate surveyors and valuers: ESVARBON publishes a register of registered individuals and firms on its website.
• Notaries: the Supreme Court of Nigeria keeps the Electronic Notary Register for public verification of notaries and notarised documents.
• Lawyers: the Nigerian Bar Association issues a digital annual practice licence to lawyers who have paid the Bar Practising Fee, in the names enrolled on the Supreme Court's database. Ask to see it.
• Developers and estate agents: SCUML lists real estate agents and estate developers among the businesses it supervises for anti-money-laundering compliance, and has an online SCUML certificate check.
• Any company or business name: the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) public search works by name or RC number.
• Sales in Lagos State: LASRERA says the sale of a house, flat, shop or complex must be registered with it, by buyer and seller together.

We could not confirm an official Lagos State licence check for estate agents, so ask an expert to check an agent before you pay. For an individual seller, compare their ID with the name on the registry search.

Experts you book through Motherland are independent, verified by Motherland. If you are a surveyor, engineer, estate surveyor, notary or lawyer in Nigeria, these are the registers clients abroad will ask about; you can join the expert waitlist for Nigeria.

How is rent from a Nigerian property taxed if you live abroad?

In Nigeria, withholding tax on rent is 10%, and the same rate applies when the landlord is a non-resident individual, according to the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service's withholding tax schedule and PwC's tax summary. Whether that 10% settles your Nigerian tax on the rent, or whether you must also register and file, is not confirmed from an official source, so check with a tax adviser in Nigeria. NG-S10 NG-S25 NG-S30 NG-S31 NG-S4 NG-S22 NG-S18 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S10 Withholding tax rates (schedule)Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S25 Nigeria: Corporate - Withholding taxesPwC Worldwide Tax Summaries · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S30 Five key adjustments to Lagos Land Use ChargeBusinessDay · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S31 Lagos plans to generate N375 billion per annum from land use charge paymentNairametrics · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S4 FAQAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S22 Public Search (iCRP)Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S18 Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (home)Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

In Lagos State, the annual Land Use Charge on an owner-occupied home is 0.0394% of the property's market value, as reported by BusinessDay and Nairametrics. That rate is for owner-occupied homes; if you let the property, confirm the rate on your bill with an expert.

In the FCT (Abuja), keep ground rent and other land charges paid: AGIS says failing to pay them can lead to withdrawal or revocation of the right of occupancy.

Before you hand a Nigerian property manager your keys, check the firm on the CAC public search and, if an estate surveyor runs it, on the ESVARBON register. Agree in writing how rent reaches you, and how often you get a statement with receipts.

What are the common property scams in Nigeria, and how do you avoid them?

The patterns below come from official sources in Nigeria, from Lagos State and the FCT (Abuja). We describe patterns only and never name individuals or companies. NG-S24 NG-S5 NG-S4 NG-S1 NG-S3 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S24 Lagos State Taskforce on Land GrabbersLagos State Ministry of Justice · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S5 Revocation of land (public notice)Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S4 FAQAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S1 Land Use Act, Cap. L5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (text in FAOLEX)Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S3 Processes and payments requirementsAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

• Land grabbing in Lagos State. The Lagos State Ministry of Justice runs a Special Task Force on Land Grabbers, which enforces the Lagos State Properties Protection Law 2016 and takes petitions from people facing land grabbing.
• A revoked plot in the FCT. The FCT Minister has revoked plots for non-development, and AGIS says unpaid ground rent and other charges can lead to revocation. So papers a seller shows you may describe a right that no longer stands; run a legal search at AGIS and ask an expert to confirm the plot's status before you pay.
• A sale without consent. Under Nigeria's Land Use Act, a transaction that passes an interest in land other than as the Act provides is null and void. A seller who suggests skipping consent is asking you to carry that risk.

Before you pay for land in Nigeria: run the official search, match the seller's ID to the record, have a registered surveyor visit the plot, and pay by traceable bank transfer in stages, never in cash. If land you own in Lagos State is being taken over, you can petition the task force.

What fees and taxes do you pay when buying property in Nigeria?

In Nigeria, land fees differ between Lagos State and the FCT (Abuja), and this page covers only those two; fees in other states are not covered here. Where an official figure is published and current, it is below. Where it isn't, confirm it before you pay. NG-S3 NG-S29 NG-S28 NG-S10 NG-S25 NG-S30 NG-S31 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S3 Processes and payments requirementsAbuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S29 Lagos raises land transaction fees to reflect fair market valueBusinessDay · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S28 Lagos State Blue Book to take effect from 1 May 2026Aluko & Oyebode · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S10 Withholding tax rates (schedule)Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S25 Nigeria: Corporate - Withholding taxesPwC Worldwide Tax Summaries · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S30 Five key adjustments to Lagos Land Use ChargeBusinessDay · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S31 Lagos plans to generate N375 billion per annum from land use charge paymentNairametrics · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

• FCT legal search (AGIS): ₦10,000 for a private or individual file, ₦20,000 for a commercial or organisational file.
• FCT deed of assignment or gift (AGIS): a payment of 8% of the property's value, and the plot must be developed.
• FCT power of attorney (AGIS): ₦102,000, plus ₦2,000 for each extra copy.
• Lagos State Governor's consent: assessed on the Fair Market Value in the revised Blue Book, in force since 1 May 2026. We could not confirm a charges schedule published after that date, so confirm the current charges with the Lagos Lands Bureau or an expert.
• Lagos State search fee: confirm with the Lands Bureau or an expert.
• Lagos State stamp duty on a deed of assignment: official sources disagree; check with an expert.
• Tax on a gain when you sell: we could not confirm the current rule from an official source; check with a tax adviser.
• Withholding tax on rent: 10%, including for non-resident individual landlords.
• Lagos State Land Use Charge (owner-occupied home): 0.0394% of market value a year.

Ask each professional for their fee in writing before work starts.

What changed for property buyers in Nigeria in 2026?

In Lagos State, a revised Fair Market Value schedule, known as the Blue Book, took effect on 1 May 2026, according to BusinessDay and the law firm Aluko & Oyebode. The Blue Book sets the values on which Governor's consent and related charges are assessed, so the naira amount for the same property can differ from a quote made before that date. Ask for any older quote to be redone. NG-S29 NG-S28 · 12 Nov 2026Sources · as of 12 Nov 2026NG-S29 Lagos raises land transaction fees to reflect fair market valueBusinessDay · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S28 Lagos State Blue Book to take effect from 1 May 2026Aluko & Oyebode · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

We add a dated entry for Nigeria only once a change is confirmed from its sources; each one is listed under "What changed recently" with its source.

Questions

What changed recently

• 1 May 2026Lagos State's revised Fair Market Value schedule (the Blue Book), the base for Governor's consent and related charges, took effect. NG-S29 NG-S28SourcesNG-S29 Lagos raises land transaction fees to reflect fair market valueBusinessDay · checked 12 Nov 2026NG-S28 Lagos State Blue Book to take effect from 1 May 2026Aluko & Oyebode · checked 12 Nov 2026All sources

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Sources

Checked 12 Nov 2026.

1. NG-S1 Land Use Act, Cap. L5 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 (text in FAOLEX) · Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026
2. NG-S2 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, updated to the 5th Alteration (2023) (text in FAOLEX) · Federal Republic of Nigeria (FAO FAOLEX legislation database copy) · checked 12 Nov 2026
3. NG-S3 Processes and payments requirements · Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026
4. NG-S4 FAQ · Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS), FCT Administration · checked 12 Nov 2026
5. NG-S5 Revocation of land (public notice) · Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) · checked 12 Nov 2026
6. NG-S7 Frequently asked questions (Land Services, Regularisation, Lands Registry) · Lands Bureau, Lagos State Government · checked 12 Nov 2026
7. NG-S10 Withholding tax rates (schedule) · Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) · checked 12 Nov 2026
8. NG-S13 About Planning Permit · Lagos State e-Planning Permit, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development · checked 12 Nov 2026
9. NG-S14 LASRERA Initiative (sale and tenancy registration) · Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) · checked 12 Nov 2026
10. NG-S16 Surveyors Information Management System: Public Surveyor Verification System · Surveyors Council of Nigeria (SURCON) · checked 12 Nov 2026
11. NG-S17 Registration verification · Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) · checked 12 Nov 2026
12. NG-S18 Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (home) · Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) · checked 12 Nov 2026
13. NG-S19 Register of ESVs · Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) · checked 12 Nov 2026
14. NG-S20 Notary Public (Electronic Notary Register) · Supreme Court of Nigeria · checked 12 Nov 2026
15. NG-S21 Mandate and functions of SCUML · Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), EFCC · checked 12 Nov 2026
16. NG-S22 Public Search (iCRP) · Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) · checked 12 Nov 2026
17. NG-S24 Lagos State Taskforce on Land Grabbers · Lagos State Ministry of Justice · checked 12 Nov 2026
18. NG-S25 Nigeria: Corporate - Withholding taxes · PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries · checked 12 Nov 2026
19. NG-S28 Lagos State Blue Book to take effect from 1 May 2026 · Aluko & Oyebode · checked 12 Nov 2026
20. NG-S29 Lagos raises land transaction fees to reflect fair market value · BusinessDay · checked 12 Nov 2026
21. NG-S30 Five key adjustments to Lagos Land Use Charge · BusinessDay · checked 12 Nov 2026
22. NG-S31 Lagos plans to generate N375 billion per annum from land use charge payment · Nairametrics · checked 12 Nov 2026
23. NG-S32 Important Notice: NBA Introduces Digital Annual Practice Licenses for 2025 · Nigerian Bar Association · checked 12 Nov 2026
24. NG-S33 Commencement of payment of 2026 Bar Practising Fee (BPF) · Nigerian Bar Association · checked 12 Nov 2026

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