Estate Guide Series 129 | Author: Realtor Michael Podcasting | Aden Shelters Ltd, Lagos, Nigeria | 22 August 2026 If you are in the USA, UK, or Canada buying land in Lagos, you have heard the name "Omonile" and the fear that comes with it. Here is the truth that will save you ₦20M in extortion: Once Governor’s Excision is published, Omonile legally disappears. The problem is most Diaspora buyers don’t know who replaces them, and that gap is where fraud happens.
DANGER WARNING: Paying "development levy" to Omonile after excision is illegal. You are funding extortion and weakening your title. CAUTION: "Excision in process" for 3 years is a red flag. Process without Gazette means the land is still under family control. RED FLAGS 1. Seller demands payment to "youth chairman" after showing excision papers 2. No Gazette number or date on the excision document 3.
Estate has no layout approval from the Ministry of Physical Planning 4. Refusal to issue corporate receipts and Deed of Assignment THE LEGAL TRUTH: LAND USE ACT, 1978 Under Section 1 of the Land Use Act, 1978, all land is vested in the Governor. Section 28 gives the Governor power to revoke customary rights for public purpose and grant excision to original families. When Governor’s Excision is published in the Official Gazette, customary rights are extinguished; Omonile loses legal authority.
Who replaces them? The State Government, through the Ministry of Lands, and the Estate Developer/Company holding the approved Layout. From that day, all payments, approvals, and security must come through legal channels only. 10 KEY ACTIONS TO BUY EXCISED LAND SAFELY FROM ABROAD 1. Demand the official Gazette number, page, and date of excision. Verify it at the Ministry of Justice.
No Gazette, no excision. 2. Confirm the layout approval from the Ministry of Physical Planning. This proves the government recognizes roads, setbacks, and infrastructure for the estate. 3. Insist that all payments go to the developer’s corporate account only. After excision, any payment to "community" is extortion. Get an official company receipt. 4. Ensure your contract references Section 22 of the Land Use Act for Governor’s Consent.
This converts your allocation into a legal and bankable title. 5. Collect Deed of Assignment plus allocation letter from the excision beneficiaries. These two documents, plus consent, form your legal chain. 6. Book a virtual inspection with estate security and management present. 7. Verify that estate security is employed by the developer, not Omonile. Professional security is the first sign that Omonile has been removed.
8. Reject any request for "omo-onile levy" during construction. Report it immediately to the estate management and police; it is illegal post-excision. 9. Obtain certified true copies of all documents within 60 days. File at the Lands Registry; this creates a public record that blocks future claims. 10. Join the estate residents’ association for protection and updates. A structured association replaces community influence with corporate governance.
REAL CLIENT STORY A client in Canada paid ₦18M "Omonile fee" after excision was published. We intervened, traced the Gazette, and stopped further payments. His estate management refunded part of it and issued a formal warning letter. Today his title is clean. Omonile thrives on ignorance. Excision ends their power. But only if you act with the right documents. Video: Omonile Disappears After Governor's Excision | EGS 129 (Realtor Michael | Estate Guide Nigeria) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhYAkhJitSE
