Arable land is land that can be ploughed and used to grow crops: the maize, rice, cassava, yam, sorghum, millet, groundnut and vegetable land that feeds the country, as distinct from land under permanent tree crops, pasture or forest. Nigeria has arable land in every region, but what it will grow depends on the agro-ecological zone it sits in, and how safely you can hold it depends on the Land Use Act. A buyer needs to understand both before paying for a single acre.
What “arable” does and does not mean
In agricultural usage, arable land is cultivated for crops that are sown and harvested season by season. Land planted with cocoa, oil palm, rubber, cashew or citrus is usually classed separately as permanent cropland, and grazing land as pasture. The distinction matters to a buyer for a practical reason: a seller's word “farmland” covers all of these and more, including bush that has never been cleared, land that floods every year and land that is really being sold for future housing. Arable is a description of what the land can do, not a legal category, so the word will not appear on a title document. You establish it by inspecting the land, the soil and the water.
The agro-ecological zones and what grows where
Rainfall falls and the growing season shortens as you travel from the coast to the far north. That gradient produces a series of broad belts.
- Mangrove and freshwater swamp (the coast and the Niger Delta): swamp rice, fishing and aquaculture, with oil palm and raffia on the drier ground. Little of it is arable in the ordinary sense.
- Rainforest (much of the South-West, Edo, the South-East and Cross River): the tree-crop belt of cocoa, oil palm and rubber, with cassava, yam, maize, plantain and vegetables as the arable crops.
- Derived savanna (the transition belt, including much of Oyo and northern Ogun): cassava, maize, yam and vegetables, with good access to the large southern markets.
- Guinea savanna (the Middle Belt, including Benue, Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa and southern Kaduna): the country's principal arable belt for yam, maize, rice, sorghum, soybean, groundnut and, in southern Kaduna, ginger.
- Sudan savanna (Kano, Katsina, Jigawa and their neighbours): millet, sorghum, cowpea and groundnut under rain, and onions, tomatoes and other vegetables under dry-season irrigation.
- Sahel savanna (the far North-East and North-West fringe): a short season suited to millet and cowpea, and livestock.
- Highlands (the Jos Plateau, with the Mambilla and Obudu plateaux): a cooler climate that suits Irish potatoes and temperate vegetables.
The practical lesson is to choose the crop and the market first and the land second. Which states suit which enterprise, and what land costs in each, is set out in where to buy agricultural land in Nigeria; for the South-West specifically see buying farmland in Ogun State and buying farmland in Akure, Ondo State. You can also search land for sale across Nigeria to see what is being offered.
How arable land is held under the Land Use Act
The Land Use Act of 1978 vests all land in each state in the Governor, who holds it in trust. Nobody “owns” land outright; people and companies hold a right of occupancy. For farmland, four arrangements matter.
Customary right of occupancy
Land outside urban areas is under the control of the Local Government, which can grant or recognise a customary right of occupancy. This is how most arable land is held, especially in the northern and Middle Belt states. The Act limits a single customary grant for agricultural purposes to 500 hectares, and 5,000 hectares for grazing, unless the Governor consents. It is valid title, but local government records are less centralised than a state registry and banks do not generally accept it as collateral.
Statutory right of occupancy and the Certificate of Occupancy
The Governor can grant a statutory right of occupancy over land anywhere in the state, urban or rural. The Certificate of Occupancy is the document that evidences it, customarily for a term of 99 years. It is the strongest and most verifiable title, it is what lenders want, and any later transfer of it requires the Governor's Consent. See Certificate of Occupancy in Nigeria and Governor's Consent.
Leases from state governments
Several states allocate or lease blocks of farmland to farmers and agribusinesses through their ministries of agriculture or lands, often in designated farm settlements or agricultural zones. Terms, rents and conditions differ from state to state and scheme to scheme, and an allocation usually carries a duty to develop the land within a set period. Deal only with the ministry or agency itself, and have the allocation letter verified there.
Leases and purchases from families and communities
In much of the country, families and communities continue to hold and farm land under customary law, and they commonly lease or sell it. A family receipt is a record of payment, not a root of title. The family head and the principal members must all consent, in writing, and a purchase should be converted to registered title as part of the transaction. The pattern of rival claimants that follows a careless purchase is described in omonile in Nigeria.
What to check before paying
- Title search: at the state Land Registry, or the Local Government land office for a customary right. Do it before anything else.
- Seller's identity and authority: the name on the record must match the person signing; for family land, confirm who may sign for the family.
- Government acquisition: check that the land is not inside an area acquired for a road, a dam, an agricultural scheme or any other public purpose.
- Forest reserves and mining rights: reserve boundaries are not always visible on the ground in the south, and existing mineral titles can restrict surface use in parts of the Plateau and the Middle Belt.
- Boundaries: a licensed surveyor should confirm the beacons against the survey plan. Rural encroachment is common. See survey plans in Nigeria.
- Road access all year: visit in the rainy season if you can. A track that is passable only in the dry season limits what you can grow and sell.
- Water: the location and reliability of any stream, irrigation access or borehole, and the likely drilling depth if there is none.
- Soil and drainage: for a significant investment, have an agronomist test the soil and confirm it suits the intended crops.
- People already on the land: tenant farmers, seasonal users and established cattle routes all need to be understood and dealt with before completion, not after.
- Security: ask farmers already operating nearby about current conditions before committing to a remote location.
The transaction steps, from the sale agreement to registration, are in agricultural land for sale in Nigeria, and how parcels are priced is in agricultural land prices per acre. If you hold farmland you no longer need, you can list it on Cabans.
Frequently asked questions
What is arable land?
Arable land is land that can be ploughed and used to grow crops, typically seasonal crops such as maize, rice, cassava, yam, sorghum, millet, groundnut and vegetables. It is distinguished from land under permanent tree crops such as cocoa and oil palm, from pasture and from forest.
Where is the best arable land in Nigeria?
It depends on the crop. The Guinea savanna of the Middle Belt, including Benue, Niger, Kaduna and Nasarawa States, is the main belt for yam, maize, rice, sorghum and soybean. The derived savanna of Oyo and Ogun suits cassava and maize close to the Lagos market. The Sudan savanna of Kano and its neighbours suits millet, sorghum, cowpea and irrigated vegetables.
Who owns arable land in Nigeria?
Under the Land Use Act of 1978, all land in each state is vested in the Governor, who holds it in trust. Individuals and companies hold rights of occupancy rather than absolute ownership: a statutory right of occupancy granted by the Governor, or a customary right of occupancy granted or recognised by the Local Government for land outside urban areas.
Can I get a Certificate of Occupancy on farmland?
Yes. A Certificate of Occupancy is the evidence of a right of occupancy, and a Governor can grant a statutory right over land anywhere in the state, including rural farmland. For a significant investment, aim for a C of O or structure the purchase so that one can be obtained afterwards.
Is it better to lease or buy arable land?
Leasing from a state government scheme, a community or a private holder needs far less capital and is a sensible way to test a location and a crop. Buying suits a long-term operation that will invest in boreholes, fencing, buildings or tree crops. A lease needs the same title checks as a purchase, because a lessor who does not hold good title cannot grant a good lease.
What should I check before paying for arable land?
The title at the Land Registry or the local government land office, the identity and authority of the seller, government acquisition and forest reserve status, the boundaries by a licensed surveyor, year-round road access, a reliable water source, soil and drainage, and whether anyone is already farming the land.
Related guides
Agricultural land for sale in Nigeria · Where to buy agricultural land · Agricultural land price per acre · Land document types in Nigeria · How many plots make an acre
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