A Certificate of Occupancy can look official and still require independent verification.
For Nigerians buying land or property from the US, UK, Canada, Europe, or elsewhere, the key question is not only, “Does the seller have a C of O?” It is:
Does the document correspond to a genuine, current, transferable interest in the specific land being offered to you?
A C of O may provide important evidence of an interest in land. It does not, by itself, answer every question about ownership, encumbrances, acquisition status, boundaries, transfers, disputes, or the seller’s authority to sell.
That is why Verify Before You Pay should be a process, not a slogan.
What a C of O does : and does not : prove
A Certificate of Occupancy is a formal land document issued under the relevant government land administration system. It may identify:
- The holder of the interest
- The property location
- The plot or parcel description
- The term and conditions of the grant
- The survey plan or site reference
- The relevant file or instrument number
However, the document should be assessed against official records and the physical property.
A C of O does not automatically prove that:
- The person presenting it is the current seller
- The document has not been forged or altered
- The title has not been revoked or affected by a later transaction
- There is no mortgage, caveat, court order, or competing claim
- The land is free from government acquisition
- The survey plan matches the land on the ground
- All required consent has been obtained for a transfer
- The property has planning, building, or development approval
A document is evidence. It is not the entire due-diligence process.
01 : Request the complete document pack
Before making a substantial payment, request clear copies of every document available. Do not assess the C of O in isolation.
Depending on the property and the history of the land, the pack may include:
- Certificate of Occupancy
- Deed of Assignment
- Governor’s Consent
- Registered survey plan
- Excision and Gazette, where applicable
- Previous deeds or title documents
- Allocation letter
- Seller’s government-issued identification
- Company registration and authority to sell
- Ground rent or land-use charge records
- Planning or building approvals
- Draft sale agreement
- Receipts for previous payments
Record the details exactly as shown:
- Registered owner’s name
- C of O or instrument number
- File number
- Plot, block, scheme, and LGA
- Survey plan number
- Land size and description
- Date of issue
- Signatory and issuing authority
Look for unexplained differences in names, dates, plot descriptions, signatures, or page numbering.
A WhatsApp scan or photocopy may help you begin a review. It does not replace verification at the relevant registry.
02 : Check the document, but do not rely on appearance
A first-level review may identify inconsistencies that require further investigation.
Check whether the document appears to contain:
- A consistent official layout
- A state seal or other official marking
- A signature from the appropriate authority
- A traceable file or instrument number
- A survey plan reference
- Consistent spelling, dates, and property descriptions
- No unexplained alterations, overwriting, or missing pages
These checks are useful, but they are limited.
Modern forgeries may reproduce seals, signatures, paper styles, and formatting. A genuine-looking C of O may also relate to a different parcel or an interest affected by a later transaction.
Only the relevant government record and qualified professional review can address the more important questions.
03 : Conduct a land registry search
The central step in C of O verification Nigeria is an official search at the relevant State Land Registry, Lands Bureau, Ministry of Lands, or applicable GIS authority.
For example, Lagos title searches are handled through the state’s land administration system and Directorate of Land Registry. The Lagos State government’s C of O process guidance provides background on the documentation and process used for land administration in the state.
For Abuja properties, the applicable land records are administered through Abuja Geographic Information Systems, commonly known as AGIS. Other states have their own procedures and land records systems.
A formal search should seek to confirm:
- Whether the instrument or file number exists
- Whether the registered owner matches the seller’s claim
- Whether the property description matches the document
- Whether the title is current or affected by revocation
- Whether mortgages, charges, caveats, or restrictions are recorded
- Whether a prior transfer or competing interest appears on the file
- Whether the property is affected by a government notice or acquisition
Where available, request a Certified True Copy or other official registry extract. A Certified True Copy is not a substitute for professional advice, but it can provide a source record against which the seller’s document can be compared.
A registry search should be handled by a qualified property lawyer or another appropriately authorised professional. Apex Expat can help coordinate access and communication, but does not replace the registry or provide legal title verification.
04 : Verify the survey plan and chart the land
A C of O and a survey plan must describe the same parcel.
A qualified, licensed surveyor should review:
- Surveyor’s name, stamp, and registration details
- Coordinates and beacon numbers
- Land dimensions and stated area
- Location and site description
- Relationship between the survey plan and the C of O
- Whether the plan corresponds with the actual land
The survey may also need to be charted at the relevant Office of the Surveyor-General. Charting can help establish whether the coordinates fall within:
- Free land
- Government acquisition
- A committed area
- A planned road or public scheme
- An area that overlaps another parcel or title
A survey plan that looks professional is not automatically valid. A forged plan may use a real surveyor’s name or describe a different location.
A licensed surveyor should also visit the site to compare the plan with the physical boundaries. This may involve:
- Locating the parcel using the coordinates
- Confirming boundary beacons
- Checking visible encroachment
- Identifying overlapping fences or occupation
- Recording access and surrounding conditions
- Capturing photographs, videos, and location information
05 : Review the chain of title and subsequent transfers
The C of O may not be the document that gives the current seller authority to sell.
Where the land has changed hands, request and review the chain of title. This may include:
- Earlier Deeds of Assignment
- Governor’s Consent
- Deeds of Gift or Mortgage
- Previous Certificates of Occupancy
- Probate or family documentation
- Allocation or excision documents
- Power of Attorney, where an agent is acting
A lawyer should determine whether required consents were obtained and properly registered for the relevant transaction.
If the seller is a company, confirm its identity and whether the person signing the transaction has authority to do so. If the land is family or community land, additional checks may be needed to establish who has authority to sell.
Do not assume that a person holding the documents is automatically entitled to transfer the interest.
06 : Check excision, Gazette, acquisition, and community risks
Some land is marketed as “free,” “excision,” or “approved by a government source” without sufficient evidence.
Where relevant, confirm:
- Whether the land is within an approved excised area
- Whether the excision is supported by a Gazette
- Whether the specific parcel falls within the excised boundary
- Whether any part of the land remains under acquisition
- Whether there are competing family or community claims
- Whether there are known disputes or multiple allocations
Common risks include:
- Fake C of O or Governor’s Consent
- Forged survey plans
- Double allocation or double sale
- Government acquisition
- Unregistered transfers
- Impersonation of the owner
- Unauthorised family or community sales
- Omo onile-related disputes or additional demands
These risks cannot be assessed by document appearance alone. They require legal, registry, survey, and site-based checks.
07 : Inspect the property and compare the evidence
A remote buyer should not rely only on documents sent by a seller or agent.
An independent physical inspection can help establish whether:
- The property exists at the stated location
- The site matches the survey plan
- The boundaries are identifiable
- Another person occupies or claims the land
- Access is available as represented
- Nearby development matches the description
- There are visible encroachments or disputes
- The site has conditions requiring further technical review
Request dated photographs, short videos, location details, and written observations. Ask who was present and whether access was restricted.
A site inspection does not replace a survey, valuation, structural assessment, or legal opinion. It provides observational evidence within an agreed scope.
Use a clear decision framework
After the checks, classify the opportunity.
Proceed
Consider proceeding only where:
- Registry information is consistent
- The seller’s identity and authority are reasonably established
- The survey plan corresponds with the land
- Acquisition and excision concerns have been addressed
- No unresolved encumbrance or dispute is identified
- Qualified professionals are satisfied with their respective reviews
- Payment terms are documented and approved by you
Proceed with caution
Pause for further evidence where:
- A document is missing but may be obtainable
- Names differ and require explanation
- The registry response is incomplete
- The survey plan needs further charting
- A transfer or consent is still being reviewed
- Community or access issues remain unclear
- The seller is willing to cooperate, but the evidence is not yet complete
Do not proceed
Do not release funds while:
- The C of O cannot be found in official records
- The registry details do not match the property
- The survey plan does not correspond with the site
- The land appears to be under acquisition
- Another party claims the land
- The seller refuses independent checks
- Payment is being demanded before critical evidence is reviewed
- A material issue remains unexplained
You retain final decision-making authority. A report should support your decision, not make it for you.
What Apex Expat can coordinate
Apex Expat’s Verify Before You Pay service is an observational, evidence-gathering, coordination, and reporting service.
Depending on the agreed scope, we may coordinate:
- Document collection and review workflow
- Seller or developer communication
- Property and location confirmation
- Site photographs and video evidence
- Qualified lawyer or surveyor access
- Registry and specialist appointment coordination
- Milestone and issue reporting
- Escalation of findings requiring your decision
Apex Expat does not provide legal advice, title verification, a registry search, survey confirmation, valuation, engineering certification, or investment advice. Qualified lawyers, licensed surveyors, valuers, engineers, and relevant government authorities must handle those specialist steps where required.
Start with a structured consultation
Prepare the following before contacting us:
- Property location or Google Maps pin
- Seller or developer details
- Copies of available documents
- Proposed purchase price and payment schedule
- Your main concerns
- Any previous report or inspection
- Your preferred scope and timing
Request a verification scope through Apex Expat or review our verification and due-diligence services.
After submission, we will review the request, clarify the scope, identify any specialist requirements, and confirm availability and fees before work begins. Your request does not automatically authorise a site visit or commit you to the transaction.
Verify. Connect. Coordinate. Monitor. Then decide with the evidence in view.