Buying a house in Lagos is one of the largest financial decisions most Nigerians will ever make. It is also a transaction that carries real risk — fraud, disputed titles, undisclosed encumbrances, and inflated intermediary fees are all active threats. This guide gives you the full picture: what Lagos property actually costs (purchase price plus all acquisition costs), how to read title types and which are safe, a current area guide with price ranges, and a step-by-step purchase process built around avoiding the most common traps.
The full cost of buying a house in Lagos
The purchase price you negotiate is not what you pay in total. Lagos property acquisition typically involves six to eight cost items on top of the headline price. Here is the complete model:
- Purchase price: The agreed price between buyer and seller. This is the baseline — everything below is additional.
- Legal / solicitor fee: Typically 5–10% of the purchase price for high-value transactions, or 1–5% for properties below ₦100m. A solicitor conducts title search, prepares the deed of assignment, and manages the Governor's Consent process. Non-negotiable for any safe purchase.
- Agency / agent fee: Typically 5–10% of the purchase price for the selling agent. On buyer-represented transactions, buyers may also pay a buyer's agent fee. Always confirm who pays the agent and how much before proceeding.
- Stamp duty: A tax payable on property instruments. Lagos State stamp duty is typically 1.5% of the purchase price on residential transactions. Commercial and high-value transactions may attract higher rates. Payable to the Lagos Inland Revenue Service.
- Governor's Consent fee: For titles that require Governor's Consent (all formal title transfers in Lagos), fees are payable to the Lagos State Lands Bureau. This includes consent fee, charting fee, endorsement fee, and capital gains tax. Total Governor's Consent cost is typically 3–8% of the assessed property value — budget for this separately.
- Survey fee: A registered surveyor should confirm the property's survey plan matches the registered coordinates at the Surveyor General's office. Fee ranges from ₦150,000–₦500,000 depending on property size and location.
- Building inspection fee: For completed properties, a professional building inspection assesses structural integrity, roof condition, plumbing, and electrical. Costs ₦50,000–₦200,000. Often skipped to buyer's later regret.
Total acquisition cost rule of thumb: Budget 12–18% above the purchase price to cover all fees on a standard Lagos residential transaction. On a ₦100m purchase, total cost including fees is typically ₦112m–₦118m.
Title types in Lagos: what is safe and what is not
Lagos has a layered land title system. Understanding what each title type means determines whether you can safely complete a purchase.
- Certificate of Occupancy (C of O): The gold standard. Issued directly by Lagos State Government for a 99-year leasehold term. Verifiable at the Lagos State Lands Bureau. A valid C of O with a clean search is the safest title in the Lagos market.
- Deed of Assignment with Governor's Consent: When a C of O holder sells their interest, the buyer receives a Deed of Assignment. Governor's Consent from the Lagos State Governor's office is legally required to perfect this transfer. Without Consent, the assignment is incomplete. Always confirm Consent has been obtained and is registered.
- Deed of Assignment (unregistered, without Consent): A large proportion of Lagos property sales are at this stage. The deed exists but Consent has not been processed. The buyer holds an equitable interest but not a perfected legal title. This is acceptable as an interim position if Consent is in progress and the chain is verifiable — but never fully acceptable without a clear path to completion.
- Power of Attorney (PoA) assignments: Common in family-land transactions. The seller uses a PoA from the original title holder to transfer. These require careful review — confirm the PoA is valid, the title holder is alive (or properly estate-managed), and no competing family claims exist.
- Survey plan only / Freehold claims: No legal freehold exists in Lagos — all land is technically owned by the State. A survey plan alone, or a seller claiming freehold ownership, is not adequate title evidence. Treat these as red flags without further documentation.
- Gazette / Excision: Land that has been excised from government acquisition and gazetted for community or private ownership. Gazette land can be legitimate but requires independent verification that the specific plot falls within the excised boundary and the excision has been properly registered.
For a detailed breakdown of each document type, see the Land Document Types in Nigeria guide and the C of O Verification Checklist.
Lagos property price ranges by area (2026)
Current market prices for completed residential properties. All prices in Naira.
Island — premium
- Ikoyi: 2-bed apartment ₦200m–₦500m | 3-bed house ₦300m–₦900m | 4-bed+ ₦500m–₦2bn+. Browse Ikoyi properties for sale · 3-bedroom.
- Victoria Island: 2-bed apartment ₦150m–₦400m | 3-bed ₦250m–₦700m. Browse VI properties for sale · 2-bedroom.
- Lekki Phase 1: 2-bed flat ₦80m–₦200m | 3-bed terrace ₦100m–₦300m | 4-bed detached ₦200m–₦500m. Browse Lekki properties for sale · 3-bedroom houses · 4-bedroom.
Island axis — value tier
- Ajah: 2-bed ₦30m–₦80m | 3-bed terrace ₦50m–₦120m | 4-bed ₦80m–₦200m. Browse Ajah properties for sale · 3-bedroom.
Mainland — GRA and managed estates
- Ikeja GRA: 2-bed flat ₦40m–₦100m | 3-bed duplex ₦70m–₦200m | 4-bed detached ₦120m–₦350m. Browse Ikeja properties for sale · 3-bedroom · 4-bedroom.
- Magodo: 3-bed bungalow ₦50m–₦150m | 4-bed ₦80m–₦200m. Browse Magodo properties for sale.
- Gbagada: 2-bed flat ₦35m–₦80m | 3-bed duplex ₦60m–₦150m. Browse Gbagada properties for sale · 3-bedroom.
Mainland — mid and value tier
- Surulere: 2-bed flat ₦25m–₦70m | 3-bed duplex ₦45m–₦120m. Browse Surulere properties for sale · 2-bedroom.
- Yaba: 2-bed flat ₦30m–₦80m | 3-bed ₦50m–₦130m. Browse Yaba properties for sale.
- Ikorodu: 2-bed ₦10m–₦30m | 3-bed ₦20m–₦60m. Highest affordability in Lagos. Browse Ikorodu properties for sale.
Step-by-step: how to buy a house in Lagos safely
- Define your area and budget, including all acquisition costs. Use the 12–18% buffer on top of your target purchase price. If your all-in budget is ₦100m, your target purchase price should be ₦82m–₦88m.
- Search for verified listings. Use a platform with confirmed listing details. Browse verified Lagos properties for sale on Cabans, or search by area: Lekki, Ikoyi, Ajah, Ikeja.
- Inspect the property in person. Never buy a property you have not physically visited. Bring a professional building inspector for any completed property.
- Request title documents before making any offer. Ask for the original C of O or registered Deed of Assignment before entering into any agreement. Do not pay any deposit before verifying title.
- Appoint a solicitor and conduct a registry search. Your solicitor searches the Lagos State Lands Bureau to confirm the title is clear of encumbrances, court orders, or government acquisition. This search typically takes 5–10 working days and costs ₦50,000–₦200,000.
- Negotiate and agree terms in writing. Once the search is clean, agree the purchase price and payment terms in writing via a signed letter of intent or heads of terms.
- Complete the Deed of Assignment. Your solicitor drafts the Deed of Assignment. Both parties sign. This is the formal transfer of title.
- Pay the purchase price through a verified bank account. Payment should always be by bank transfer. Confirm the account name matches the registered owner before any transfer. Obtain formal receipts.
- Process Governor's Consent and stamp duty. Your solicitor submits the Deed to the Lagos State Lands Bureau for Governor's Consent and to the Stamp Duty Office for stamping. These steps legally perfect your title. Do not skip this — an unperfected title creates risk in any future sale or dispute.
- Take physical possession. Once title is perfected and all payments made, arrange formal key handover with the vendor present.
Common traps to avoid
- Paying a deposit before a title search. No legitimate Lagos property transaction requires a deposit before title verification. Any pressure to pay quickly without a search is a fraud pattern.
- Buying from an agent who cannot produce the landlord. For a purchase, you need to meet — or at minimum have a solicitor-verified identity check for — the registered owner. A chain of agents without seller contact is a risk pattern.
- Accepting verbal commitments in lieu of documents. Nothing in a Lagos property transaction is real until it is in writing, signed, and verified against the Land Registry.
- Skipping Governor's Consent to save cost. Buyers who skip Consent save short-term but create a title defect that will resurface at the next sale — and will cost far more to fix than the original Consent fee.
- Buying in flood-prone areas without a rainy-season inspection. Properties on low-lying streets in Lekki, Surulere, Ajah, and Ikorodu can flood severely in the May–October season. A purchase without a wet-season inspection is a risk not visible at dry-season viewings.
Buying as a diaspora Nigerian
Buying Lagos property from abroad requires extra caution: remote due diligence, a trusted local solicitor, and a systematic verification process. See the full Diaspora Property Buyer's Guide for the complete remote-purchase framework.
Related guides: Lagos Property Prices 2026 · Buying Property in Nigeria: Due Diligence · How to Verify a C of O in Lagos · Land Document Types in Nigeria
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