The land registration process in Lagos State is governed by the provisions of the Land Registration Law of Lagos State and Land Use Act of 1978. For a land to be duly registered in Lagos, such land must have been duly charted & survey; the transfer duly consented to by the Governor of Lagos State and the registration record duly entered at the land registry. This article summarizes all the steps and requirements for the land registration in Lagos State Nigeria
The procedure for land registration in Lagos, Nigeria entail various requirements and steps. These requirements include a survey of the land to be registered; the obtainment of governor’s consent and the actual registration at the land registry.

Unless a governor’s consent has been obtained in respect of the transfer of any property or land, such a property cannot be duly registered.

Governor’s consent is actually a consent obtained from the governor of a state on a land transaction, without which will be deemed illegal in the eyes of the law as well as the government. Governor’s consent in Lagos and every other state in Nigeria are absolutely necessary where the holder of a Certificate of Occupancy over land or perhaps any other title decides to sell or perhaps alienate the land to someone else.

This extremely important process is statutorily provided for in Section twenty-two of the Land Use Act 1978.

In Lagos state, the Land Registry has the duty of keeping an up to date record of all land transactions within the state. The Directorate stores registered documents relating to land by virtue of the Land Instrument Registration Law of Lagos State 2015.

By and large, this following property transactions require a Governor’s Consent include the followings: Transfer of property; Mortgage; Lease and Gift of property.

REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING GOVERNOR’S CONSENT IN LAGOS

1. The first step is to make an application directed to the Lagos state director of the Land Services and Land Directorate.

2. The Land Form 1c which must be duly signed by the parties to the transaction and sworn to before a magistrate or perhaps notary public.

3. Three copies of duly signed Deed of Assignment, Mortgage; e.t.c

5. Survey plan (with evidence of lodgment of red copy).

6. Certified True Copy of title of the property.

7. Photographs of property showing date and time.

8. Payment of Charting fee and Endorsement fee.

9. Four passports photos of the vendor with a white background.

10.Payment of tax by both parties.

11. Administrative Charges for land services

12. The above documents are then directed to the office of the Surveyor-General of Lagos state for charting. Charting is basically the process of knowing the acquisition status of the land. The survey can only be carried out upon the successful charting of the land.

14. When a survey has been performed on the documents sent to the Surveyor General’s office and no defect is actually detected, a thoroughly clean report is sent to the land bureau along with a demand notice for the payment of assessed fees.

Some of the fees or taxes payable are:

• Consent Fee
• Capital Gains Tax
• Stamp Duty Fee
• Registration Fee, and
• Current tax clearance certificates of the parties to the property transaction,

Finally, upon the approval of the transfer by the Governor, the application is actually delivered to a Commissioner specifically designated for that purpose by the Governor to sign the land document. When this has been done, the document is, therefore, sent back to the applicant for the payment of registration fees and other necessary fees and taxes.

The land registration process in Lagos State may take between 3 to 6 months or even more to be completed. It depends on the individual ability to be able to provide all the requirements needed for the perfection process.

  1. ALLOCATION OF STATE LAND
  2. Application Letter
  • Application Form N10,000.00 for general land and N20,000 for prime land
  • Passport Photograph 5cm x 5cm colour with white background
  • Tax Clearance  Certificate of the Applicant
  • Development Levy
  • Copies of Form C07 in case of Company
  • Federal Government Grants
  • Formal letter to the Executive Secretary, Land Use and Allocation Committee Block 13 Room 5, Lands Bureau, The Secretariat, Alausa.
  • Standard Allocation Form
  • Purchase Receipt
  • Passport Photograph 5cm x 5cm coloured with white background in case of applications for individuals
  • Tax Clearance Certificate of the applicant
  • Development Levy
  • Copies of Form C07 in case of Company
  • Two Directors Tax Clearance Certificate and Development Levy (Company)
  • Attached Survey Plan in CTC must be clear and chartable
  • All payment receipts of Land Charges for the Federal Government Allocation
  • Certified True Copy of the Root of Title(s)
  • Picture of the subject property
  • Letter of Indemnity
  •  DEEMED GRANT CONSENT( PREVIOUSLY REFERRED TO AS PRIVATE C OF O)
  • Application letter
  • Application form for Deemed Grant N10,000.00
  • Land Information Certificate
  • Deed of Assignment, which must be duly executed by parties to the transaction (2No)
  • Two chartable Survey Plans, with evidence of lodgment of Record Copy
  • 4 No. Passport Photographs of the applicant (5cm x 5cm) coloured on white background
  • Photograph of the subject site
  • Location Sketch of the subject site
  • N10,000.00 evidence of payment for Publication
  • Evidence of payment for consent fee, stamp duty and Registration & Conveyance

      .  RENEWAL OR EXTENSION OF LEASE ON STATE LAND

  • Application letter
  • Certified True Copy (CTC) of Title to the Property and that evidencing the legal interest of the applicant
  • Evidence of Publication of expression of interest to renew or extend lease by the applicant.

  GOVERNOR’S CONSENT ON  SUBSEQUENT TRANSACTION

  • Duly completed land form 1c (sworn to). The form is available at the Lands Services Directorate.
  • Certified True Copy (CTC) of root of title, obtained from the Lands Registry
  • Deed of/Instruments of transfer (3Nos.) with chartable survey plans annexed
  • Passport photographs (4Nos.); individuals (assignees only)
  • Certificate of Incorporation/Registration:-Companies/Registered Bodies (Assignee only).
  • Site photographs with date and time
  • Site location sketch
  • Receipt for N10,500.00 (Charting, Endorsement and 1c).
  • Applicant’s/Agent’s means of identification.

    PROCEDURE FOR COMPENSATION MATTERS

  • Submission of Claims for acquired/revoked land/title document/building plan
  • Title investigation
  • Charting of perimeter Survey Plan
  • Inspection/valuation or assessment of unexhausted improvement on the land.
  • Recommendation of assessed amount of compensation for approval by Mr. Governor.
  • Preparation/execution of Indemnity Bond
  • Payment of Compensation/Release of letter allocation for alternative land in lieu of monetary compensation).

       REGISTRATION OF VESTING RIGHTS

Deed of Assent- Letters of Probate/Vesting Deed- Letter of Administration

  • Application letter requesting to register a Deed of Assent/Vesting Deed – with functional telephone lines and e-mail addresses
  • 2 (Two) copies of Deed of Assent/vesting Deed
  • Deed must be dated, signed and each page initialed
  • Passport Photographs of all the Administrators/Executors to be attached to the Deed
  • Front cover of Deed must be signed and sealed by solicitor that prepared the Deed
  • Spiral/book binding
  • Certified True Copy (CTC) of Root of Title
  • Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Letter of Administrators/Will
  • Sworn Affidavit deposed by the Administration/Executors attesting to the Vesting
  • Original (for sighting) and 1 (one) copy of a valid means of identification of all the Administrator(s) Executor
  • Payment Receipts

       LOST/DESTROYED TITLE DOCUMENTS

CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY – EXTRACT OF TITLE DOCUMENT

  • Application letter requesting for an Extract of Title document – with functional telephone lines and e-mail addresses
  • 2 (Two) copies of the following information/documentation (spiral binding):-
  • Affidavit of Loss (passport photograph attached)
  • Police Report on the missing document with full details of Title
  • Newspaper Publication in a National newspaper (1/4(quarter page)
  • Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Title document
  • Two Extra sets of colour passport photographs (5 by 5) with white background
  • Valid means of Identification of the Applicant (1(one) copy and Original (for sighting)
  • Letter of Authority (where application is being processed on behalf of title holder)
  • Original and Photocopy of Payment receipts
  • Proof of payment of Land Use charge or ground rent in respect of land/property
  • Proof of processing in respect of subsequent transaction form Director Land Services

  LAND CERTIFICATE

  • Application letter requesting for the issuance of new Certificate
  • 2 (Two) copies of the following information/documentation (spiral binding):-
  • Affidavit of Loss (passport photograph with full details of Title
  • Police report on the missing document with full details of Title
  • Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Title document
  • Two Extra sets of colour passport photograph (5 by 5 ) with white background
  • Valid means of identification of the Applicant (1(one) copy and Original (for sighting)
  • Letter of Authority where application is being processed on behalf of title holder)
  • Original and Photocopy of Payment receipt

DEED OF RELEASE

  • Application letter requesting for the Registration of Release of Mortgage/Charge.
  • 2 (Two) copies of Deed of Release (Duly stamped)
  • Deed must be dated, signed and each page initialed
  • Front cover of Deed must be signed and sealed by Solicitor that prepared the Deed Spiral/Book binding
  • Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Deed of Mortgage
  • Letter of Authority (where application is being processed on behalf of title holder)
  • Original and Photocopy of Payment receipts.

   REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING CERTIFIED TRUE COPY (CTC) E-SEARCH WITHIN ONE DAY

  • Duly completed Form 3 (Search)/Form (CTC)
  • Original Payment receipts
    By Resolution Firm Nigeria, 2023