How to verify a land title in Abuja before you buy

Most land problems in Abuja start the same way: a buyer pays first and checks later. The plot turns out to be sold twice, sitting on a road reservation, or backed by papers that were never registered. The good news is that every one of these problems can be caught before you pay, with a few checks that cost far less than the land.

This guide walks through those checks in order. It is the same process we encourage every Apase buyer to follow, and you are welcome to use it on any property, with us or anyone else.

1. Ask for the documents

A genuine seller will give you copies without hesitation. Ask for:

• The title document: a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), a Right of Occupancy (R of O), or Area Council allocation papers. Our guide to land titles in Abuja explains what each one means.
• The survey plan for the land, prepared by a registered surveyor, showing beacon numbers and the plot's position.
• Proof of who is selling: a valid ID for an individual, or the company's CAC registration number for a developer.
• The chain of ownership if the land has changed hands before: earlier deeds of assignment and receipts.
• For an estate, the title of the whole estate land and the allocation or sub-lease you will receive for your plot.

2. Check the seller is real

For a company, search its name or RC number on the Corporate Affairs Commission's public search and make sure the registered name matches the name on your contract and receipts. Apase Group, for example, is registered as RC 1137357, and you can check that on our Verify Apase page. For an individual, ask for ID and make sure the name matches the name on the title.

3. Search the title at AGIS

In the Federal Capital Territory, land records are kept by AGIS, the Abuja Geographic Information Systems. A search of the land file tells you who the registered holder is, what type of title exists, and whether anything is recorded against it, such as a mortgage, a caveat or a revocation.

Searches are best done through a property lawyer, who knows what to request and how to read the result. Ask your lawyer to confirm in writing that:

• the name on the AGIS record matches the seller or the developer;
• the plot number and location match your documents;
• there is no revocation, caveat or competing claim on the file;
• the land is not inside a government acquisition, green area or road reservation.

4. Confirm the land on the ground

Papers can be perfect for a plot that is not the one you were shown. A registered surveyor can visit the site, locate the beacons and confirm they match the survey plan. This step catches the most common trick of all: showing a buyer a good plot and selling them a different one.

5. Visit and ask around

Inspect the land in daylight. Look at the access road, drainage and any signs saying the land is not for sale. Speak to neighbours and, where relevant, the community. Apase inspections are free, physical or by live video, and you can bring your own lawyer or surveyor: book an inspection.

6. Pay safely and get the right papers

• Sign a contract of sale that names the plot, the price, the payment schedule and the documents you will receive.
• Pay only into the company account named on the contract. Never into a staff member's or agent's personal account.
• Collect a receipt for every payment.
• For a transfer, the deed of assignment must be signed and, in the FCT, the Minister's consent obtained and registered at AGIS. Your lawyer should handle this.

Red flags at a glance