FG partners private sector to increase land documentation

…less than 10% of Nigerian lands documented in 140 years – Minister

Emmanuel Kwada, Abuja

The Federal Government has announced a partnership with the private sector to accelerate land registration and documentation across the country, addressing long-standing challenges in land governance.

Speaking at the Workshop on the National Land Registration and Documentation Programme in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, highlighted the dire state of land documentation in Nigeria.

Ahmed Dangiwa

“Since the inception of formal land registration in Nigeria in 1883, the processes have been conducted under a non-compulsory sporadic system, which is slow, cumbersome, opaque, and expensive for the average landowner. It is no surprise, therefore, that less than 10 per cent of the entire land in our country is registered in 140 years,” he stated.

Dangiwa emphasised the need for systematic reforms, pointing out that over 90 per cent of land in Nigeria remains unregistered and untitled, rendering landowners unable to leverage their assets for economic growth.

This has resulted in a dead capital exceeding $300bn

“Experts estimate that this has resulted in a dead capital exceeding $300bn. Addressing this issue is not just about administrative efficiency; it is a critical step toward economic transformation,” he said.

The minister outlined the government’s strategy, which includes launching a National Digital Land Information System to modernize land administration, increasing formal land transactions, and training land registration officers.

“We aim to register, document, and title all land parcels to unlock Nigeria’s dead capital, empowering landowners to utilize their assets for economic growth,” Dangiwa explained.

Digitized land administration presents significant investment opportunities

He also underscored the role of the private sector in the initiative, particularly through Public-Private Partnerships, which he said would be key to mobilizing resources and expertise for the programme.

“Digitized land administration presents significant investment opportunities, and we must identify successful PPP models that can be adapted to the Nigerian context,” he noted.

The World Bank has pledged its support for the initiative. Representing the World Bank Country Director, Dr. Michael Ilesanmi, Senior Special Development Specialist, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to the program.

“The National Land Registration and Documentation Program aligns with the vision of the World Bank to eradicate poverty. We are proud to be partners of the government of Nigeria on a number of development initiatives. Indeed, this particular program will help unlock the potential of the national and sub-national economies for investors,” he said.

Dangiwa stressed that the government is committed to ensuring uniformity in land administration while respecting state-level jurisdictions.

“Our role is to establish a uniform framework that enables states to build credible, efficient, and interoperable land titling and registration systems, fostering nationwide integration and functionality,” he stated.

The workshop also reviewed previous efforts to streamline land registration, including the work of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms, which proposed Systematic Land Titling and Registration as a viable solution.

With the support of the World Bank, we are on the cusp of making history in Nigeria

“There is industry-wide and global acceptance that it is the best and most proven method for titling, with adoption by several states already. What remains now is to have the National Council of State approve it,” the minister said.

The initiative is expected to increase formal land transactions from the current 10 per cent to over 50 per cent in the next decade, improve access to credit, and boost internally generated revenue for state governments.

Dangiwa assured stakeholders that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration has the political will to drive the reforms.

“With the support of the World Bank, we are on the cusp of making history in Nigeria,” he added.

Read Also: Senate Committee backs PPPs for housing, urban development