Look, I’ll be straight with you. Buying land in Lagos can either be the best investment decision you ever make, or a complete nightmare that keeps you up at night. I’ve seen both happen, and trust me, the difference comes down to how careful you are.
The Lagos property market is booming, which is great. But where there’s money, there are scammers. And these guys are good at what they do. So let me walk you through how to protect yourself and your hard-earned cash.
First Things First: Verify Everything (Seriously, Everything)
I can’t stress this enough. Verification isn’t just important, it’s everything. You know those “amazing deals” that seem too good to be true? Yeah, they usually are. Scammers love to sell land that doesn’t belong to them, create fake documents, or sell you property the government has already marked for demolition.
Before you hand over a single naira, head to the Lagos State Land Registry and do your homework. You need to:
✓ Find out who actually owns the property
✓ Make sure the government hasn’t acquired it or planned to knock it down
✓ Check if there are any disputes or if someone else has been sold the same land
✓ Don’t just look at papers either. Go see the land yourself. Walk it. Check the survey plan to make sure the boundaries match reality. And please, if you hear the words “global acquisition,” run the other way. That’s usually government-speak for “this isn’t really for sale.”
Get Your Documents Right
This isn’t the part where you cut corners to save money. These documents are literally your protection:
✓ Deed of Assignment – This transfers the land from the seller to you. No deed, no deal.
✓ Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) – This proves Lagos State recognizes you as the owner. It’s the gold standard.
✓ Governor’s Consent – If you’re buying land that’s being resold, you need this. It’s not optional.
✓ Survey Plan – Shows exactly where your land starts and stops.
Receipt of Payment – Keep receipts for everything. And I mean everything.
Here’s where you need to spend some money wisely: hire a real estate lawyer. A good one. They’ll verify these documents, do title searches, and make sure your sales agreement is solid. Yes, it costs money. But it’s way cheaper than losing millions to a scam.
✓ Pay Smart, Not Fast.
✓ Never, ever pay in cash. I don’t care how nice the seller seems or how urgent they say it is. Use bank transfers that can be traced. Keep receipts. Create a paper trail. Scammers love cash because it disappears. Digital payments leave evidence.
Learn from Other People’s Mistakes
Even now in 2025, people are still getting scammed. Just recently, a tenant in Isheri Oshun was arrested for selling his landlord’s property with fake documents. Can you imagine? And the Lagos State Ministry of Justice just reopened a major land forgery case in Lekki.
The point is, even smart people get caught when they skip the boring verification stuff or trust the wrong agent. Don’t be another cautionary tale.
Do Your Own Detective Work
Look, I get it. The seller seems nice. The agent has a fancy car. But none of that matters. Here’s what you actually need to do:
✓ Visit the land yourself. Don’t just look at photos.
✓ Check the seller’s ID. Verify they are who they claim to be.
✓ Only work with licensed, reputable real estate companies with actual track records.
✓ If a deal sounds too good to be true, it absolutely is.
✓ A good realtor doesn’t just show you properties. They give you peace of mind.
Your Quick Reference Checklist
✓ Verified ownership at Lagos State Land Registry
✓ Visited and inspected the actual land
✓ Reviewed the survey plan in detail
✓ Confirmed all legal documents are authentic
✓ Hired a qualified real estate lawyer
✓ Made all payments through traceable channels
✓ Kept copies of every single receipt
✓ Used a trusted, verifiable realtor
✓ Stayed informed about current scam tactics
The Bottom Line
Buying land in Lagos isn’t just about owning property. It’s about sleeping well at night knowing what you bought is actually yours. Think of it like three gates you have to pass through: Verification, Legality, and Trust. Skip even one of these, and you’re taking a massive risk.
Ready to Do This Right?
At Gerrymandy Realtors LTD, we’ve built our reputation on one simple principle: we don’t sell land we haven’t verified ourselves. Every property we offer has passed government checks and legal verification before we even show it to you.
Whether this is your first plot or you’re expanding your investment portfolio, we handle the stressful parts so you can focus on building your future.
Here’s what you get with us:
✓ Fully verified titles
✓ Honest, transparent pricing
✓ Complete legal and documentation support
✓ A team that actually cares about your investment
Want to buy land in Lagos the safe way?
Call or WhatsApp Gerrymandy Realtors LTD today. We’ll book you a verified property inspection and walk you through every step of the process.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about land. It’s about home. It’s about wealth. It’s about legacy.
