Without papers
Nigeria's Housing Minister, Ahmed Dangiwa, says 90% of lands remain unregistered, causing an estimated $300 billion loss.
Nigeria’s Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, said over 90 percent of lands in the country remain unregistered, leading to an estimated $300 billion loss. Speaking at the National Land Registration and Documentation Programme (NLRDP), he attributed the issue to a slow, cumbersome, and expensive land registration process that has been non-compulsory since its inception in 1883. This lack of systematic land governance has made it difficult for landowners to leverage their assets for economic purposes. Other challenges include the absence of credible property data, limited access to land records, and restrictive policies like the Land Use Act of 1978.
Government officials at both federal and state levels have made similar statements for decades without taking meaningful action. It is a well-known issue, and there is broad consensus that resolving it is fundamental to unlocking real estate wealth in the country. Despite multiple attempts, efforts to amend the Land Use Act have been unsuccessful. It remains to be seen whether President Tinubu will apply the same vigour to land reforms as he has to tax reforms.
Throughout human history, wealth has been closely tied to land and the availability of resources to cultivate it for value creation. While it is unclear how the Minister arrived at the estimate that Nigeria's lack of land titles has tied up approximately $300 billion in capital, this figure may not be far from reality. What is certain is that unregistered land titles in Nigeria have significant implications, including a lack of legal protection that leaves owners vulnerable to disputes and challenges to their ownership. Additionally, there is a higher risk of encroachment by third parties, a slower pace of property transactions—whether buying, selling, or using land as collateral—and overall limited investment potential.