7 Steps of Verifying Land Title in Lagos Nigeria

The procedure for conducting a land title search and verification in Lagos State at the Land Registry is divided into several stages.

The overall goal of verifying a landed property is to determine whether the land has a good root of title and to identify any defects in the property's title.

These stages entail conducting due diligence searches and investigations in the following locations, as well as many others that may be relevant to a specific land transaction:

1. Doing a background check at the Lagos State Land Registry.
Confirming survey results at the office of the Surveyor-General of Lagos State.
Conducting a background check at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
The methods for verifying land in Lagos State and conducting a search at the Land Registry are discussed briefly below.

2. Doing a background check at the Lagos State Land Registry.
The Lagos State Land Registration Law establishes a land registry in the state. For the purposes of this article, the Lagos State Land Registry is located at the Secretariat Alausa, Ikeja Lagos. The Land Registry is in charge of keeping records pertaining to land within its jurisdiction.

Only properties that have been registered with the state government can be verified at the land registry. A search at the Land Registry will reveal the true owner of the land as well as any encumbrances such as government acquisition, mortgages, or leasehold on the property.

3. Conducting a survey confirmation at the Surveyor-General's office
This procedure entails verifying the location of the land in question using the coordinates from the survey plan. This stage is critical in the land verification process in Lagos State. The applicant applies to the Surveyor-General's office to confirm the registration and availability status of a specific land using the land's coordinates and survey plan. The goal of carrying out this process is to determine whether or not the land is under government acquisition and whether or not the land's survey plan is genuine.

4. Conducting a background check at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
Companies frequently acquire properties in Lagos State and are registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Where a vendor of land or previous owner of land is a company incorporated with the CAC, a search is conducted at the CAC to confirm whether there is an encumbrance or charge registered in CAC with regards to the company's assets. To verify a plot of land in Lagos, a search at the CAC is required.

5. Look up the Probate Registry.
To verify a land in Lagos, it is necessary to conduct a search at the probate registry to determine whether probate has been granted on any estate; who the estate's administrators are; or who the executors of a testator are in the case of properties belonging to the estate of a deceased.
Unless a grant of probate or letters of administration is issued, the vendors lack the legal authority to sell or transfer the property of a deceased person.

6. Traditional Investigation
In Lagos, where the proposed land to be sold is owned by a single individual, it is critical to conduct a traditional search. This is accomplished by investigating the vendor's family to identify the principal members of the family, as well as the community in the town where the land is located, particularly if the land is subject to family or community ownership. It is critical to confirm that the consent of all family members, including the family head, was obtained and that the family name is not void or voidable.

7. Physical examination of the land/property site
This stage of land verification is easily accomplished by visiting the property in question. The purpose of a physical inspection is to reveal any defects on the title of the land/property, to confirm the physical condition of the land/property, to know the boundary of the land, to confirm if it corresponds with the coordinate or survey plan, and to know whether it is in possession by any person, whether by tenancy, leasehold, or even seizure through any anti-corruption agency.

Conclusion
When purchasing land or property, it is critical to conduct thorough research and due diligence to eliminate any doubts, ambiguities, or confusion. The only way to ensure that the land/property to be purchased in a transaction has a good title is to conduct a thorough search in the above-mentioned locations as well as many other locations as they may apply to a specific transaction.

Finally, retaining the services of a property lawyer to conduct the search and throughout the process of buying property in Lagos State and other locations in Nigeria is critical to ensuring the owner receives a genuine property with a good title.

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