What is property registration in Nigeria and why is it important?

Property registration in Nigeria is the process of formally recording a property transaction (purchase, transfer, or mortgage) in the official government land register maintained by the State Lands Bureau. Registration creates a public record of your ownership — meaning that any person searching the register will see you as the registered owner. An unregistered Deed of Assignment or other title document is only effective between the parties to the transaction; it is not binding on third parties (including future purchasers or creditors) who have no notice of it. If you buy a property and do not register the transfer, the seller remains the registered owner — which creates the risk that they could sell the same property to another buyer who registers first, and that buyer could have priority over you in law. Registration is thus not just a formality — it is your primary legal protection as a buyer.

How much does it cost to register property in Lagos?

Property registration costs in Lagos involve several separate fees that collectively represent a significant proportion of the property value. The main costs are: Governor's Consent fee (typically 3% of the assessed value of the property as set by the Lands Bureau — which may differ from the actual purchase price); stamp duty on the Deed of Assignment (a percentage of the consideration — typically around 1.5%); registration fee at the Lands Bureau (a percentage of assessed value); and your solicitor's professional fee for managing the process (typically 5–10% of property value for full conveyancing and registration). In total, the registration costs alone (excluding solicitor's fees) can amount to 5–8% of the property value. Always obtain a full breakdown from your solicitor before completing your purchase.

How long does property registration take in Lagos?

The end-to-end property registration process in Lagos — from signing the Deed of Assignment to receiving the registered document back from the Lands Bureau — can take 6–18 months in practice, depending on the current workload at the Bureau, whether there are any queries or complications, and the efficiency of the solicitor managing the process. The individual steps (stamping, Governor's Consent application, registration) each have their own processing times. Lagos State has implemented digital tracking systems for some of these processes to improve transparency. Your solicitor should track progress actively and follow up to avoid unnecessary delays.

How to Register a Property in Nigeria After Purchase: A Step-by-Step Guide

Many Nigerians sign a Deed of Assignment, pay their money, and collect the keys — and then stop. The crucial step of formally registering the property transfer at the Lands Bureau is skipped, often because of cost, unfamiliarity with the process, or a belief that having the original documents is sufficient. It is not. This guide explains why registration matters and how to do it.

What is property title registration?

Property title registration is the process of recording your acquisition of a property in the official land register maintained by the State Lands Bureau (or equivalent authority in your state). Registration creates a public record that you are the owner — visible to anyone who searches the register.

Without registration, your title is only effective between you and the person you bought from. It is not binding on third parties. This means:

If the seller sells the same property again to someone else, and that person registers first, they may have legal priority over you
Your ownership cannot be used as collateral for a bank loan (banks require registered title as security)
Your ownership is vulnerable to being disputed by creditors or other claimants of the seller

The post-purchase registration process in Lagos — step by step

The process applies after you have completed your purchase, signed the Deed of Assignment, and paid the purchase price. Registration is managed by your solicitor.

Step 1: Stamp duty on the Deed of Assignment

The Deed of Assignment must first be stamped at the Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) or Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), depending on the nature of the transaction. The stamp duty is an ad valorem tax calculated on the consideration (purchase price). See our stamp duty guide for details.

Step 2: Apply for Governor's Consent

If the property has a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), every transfer requires the consent of the State Governor. The Deed of Assignment is submitted to the Lagos State Lands Bureau with an application for Governor's Consent. Required documents typically include:

The Deed of Assignment (executed and stamped)
The original Certificate of Occupancy
Certified true copy of the survey plan
Tax clearance certificates of both buyer and seller
Identification documents (passport or National ID)
Application form and payment of Governor's Consent fee (typically ~3% of assessed value)
Property inspection form (the Bureau sends officers to physically inspect the property)

See our full Governor's Consent guide for the complete process.

Step 3: Registration at the Lands Bureau

Once Governor's Consent is obtained (and stamping is done for properties without C of O), the Deed of Assignment or other instrument is submitted for registration at the Lands Registry. The Registrar assigns a registration number and records the instrument in the register. A registered copy with the Registrar's endorsement is returned to the owner.

At this point, your ownership is formally recorded in the public register. You are the registered owner.

Registration for properties without a C of O

For properties without a C of O (i.e., properties with root of title in Deed of Assignment chain), the process differs slightly:

Governor's Consent is not required (there is no C of O for it to apply to)
The Deed of Assignment is stamped and then submitted directly for registration at the Lands Bureau
Registration fees apply at the Bureau

Registration of a Deed without a C of O provides less protection than a full C of O transfer — but it is still better than having an unregistered document.

What your solicitor should be doing

All of these steps should be managed by the solicitor you engage for conveyancing. If you have bought a property and have not received a registered document back, ask your solicitor for a status update. Specify that you expect:

Evidence that stamp duty has been paid and the deed is stamped
Confirmation that the Governor's Consent application has been filed (with a file reference number)
The registered document once the process is complete

Take the next step

Keep your research practical: search for property in Lagos, compare live options for land for sale in Lagos, or list your property on Cabans to reach active buyers and renters.