Before You Pay for Land in Nigeria: 10 Things You Must Verify to Avoid Losing Millions There are some calls no real estate professional wants to receive. You already have an idea of what you're about to hear: “I think I've been scammed.” Someone saves for years to buy a piece of land. They find what appears to be a good deal, receive some documents, speak with a seller or agent, and make payment.
Then, months or even years later, they discover there is a problem with the property. Sometimes the land has already been sold to someone else. Sometimes the person who collected the money had no authority to sell it. Sometimes the documents presented to the buyer don't provide the protection they assumed they did. And sometimes the buyer simply didn't carry out enough due diligence before making payment.
Don't Let a Cheap Price Rush You Into a Bad Decision One of the biggest mistakes buyers make is allowing a very attractive price to override proper verification. You see a property advertised at a price significantly below similar properties in the area and immediately think: “This is an opportunity I cannot miss.” Then the seller says: “You need to pay today because someone else is ready to buy.”
That is when you need to slow down. A few hours or days spent investigating a property can be far more valuable than rushing into a transaction you later regret. Never Buy Land Based on Pictures Alone I've seen people make major property decisions after seeing nothing more than pictures and videos sent to them on WhatsApp. Pictures can show you what someone wants you to see. Whenever possible, visit the property physically.
And don't assume that standing on a piece of land automatically means the person showing it to you owns it. A Document Looking Genuine Doesn't Automatically Make It Genuine Depending on the property and location, you may need to investigate matters such as: Who actually owns the land? Is the seller authorised to sell it? Is there an existing interest or claim on the property? Are there encumbrances affecting the land?
Is the property properly described and identifiable? Does the survey correspond with the actual property? Is the title or documentation capable of being transferred? Are there planning, acquisition, or other government issues affecting the property? These are not questions you should be afraid to ask; they are questions you must ask. Don't Be Impressed by Appearance A person can dress professionally, have a beautiful office, speak excellent English, drive an expensive car, have thousands of followers on social media.
None of these things proves that a particular piece of land is genuine. Verify the property, not just the person selling it. Ask Questions Before You Pay Ask questions about the property, ownership, documentation, location, payment structure, development charges, associated fees, refund policies where applicable, and every other issue that could affect your purchase. If necessary, speak with an independent property lawyer or other qualified professional.
Don't Ignore Professional Advice A property lawyer can help review relevant legal documents and identify potential issues. A qualified surveyor can help with appropriate surveying and land-related verification. Yes, professional checks may cost money. Would you rather spend money verifying a property or spend millions trying to recover money from a bad transaction? Be Careful With Pressure Sales Statements such as “Pay immediately”, “Someone else is bringing the money”, “The price increases tonight”, “Don't worry about verification” should make you pause.
If you need to verify the property before paying, say so. If the seller or agent refuses to give you reasonable time to carry out necessary checks, reconsider the transaction. Don't Assume Every Property Being Marketed Is Properly Verified Before marketing a property, find out what you can about the developer, seller, location, documentation, pricing, payment terms, and other relevant details.
Your reputation is part of your business; a commission from one transaction is not worth damaging years of trust.
