The Federal Government has revealed that over 90 per cent of land in Nigeria remains undocumented, with the nation losing an estimated $300bn in economic value due to poor land registration systems over the past 140 years.
Speaking at the Workshop on the National Land Registration and Documentation Programme in Abuja, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, lamented the slow progress of land documentation in Nigeria since the formal introduction of land registration in 1883.
“Since the inception of formal land registration in Nigeria in 1883, the processes have been conducted under a non-compulsory sporadic system, which is slow, cumbersome, opaque, and expensive for the average landowner.
It is no surprise, therefore, that less than 10 per cent of the entire land in our country is registered in 140 years,” Dangiwa stated.
The minister noted that the lack of proper land registration has led to massive economic losses, as millions of landowners are unable to leverage their assets for wealth creation.
“Experts estimate that this has resulted in dead capital exceeding $300bn. Addressing this issue is not just about administrative efficiency; it is a critical step toward economic transformation,” he said.
Dangiwa highlighted that the government, in collaboration with the private sector, is set to roll out strategic reforms aimed at modernising land documentation and ensuring that all landowners have legal proof of ownership.
As part of the reform, the government plans to launch a national digital land information system to streamline land administration, boost formal land transactions, and enhance transparency in land ownership.
“We aim to register, document, and title all land parcels to unlock Nigeria’s dead capital, empowering landowners to utilise their assets for economic growth,” Dangiwa explained.
To achieve this, the minister stressed the role of public-private partnerships (PPPs) in mobilising resources and expertise.
“Digitised land administration presents significant investment opportunities, and we must identify successful PPP models that can be adapted to the Nigerian context,” he noted.
The initiative has received backing from the World Bank, which pledged to support the programme as part of its broader vision to eradicate poverty and stimulate economic development.
Representing the World Bank Country Director, Senior Special Development Specialist, Dr Michael Ilesanmi, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to the project.
“The National Land Registration and Documentation Programme aligns with the vision of the World Bank to eradicate poverty.
“ We are proud to be partners of the government of Nigeria on a number of development initiatives. Indeed, this particular programme will help unlock the potential of the national and sub-national economies for investors,” he said.
Dangiwa assured stakeholders that while land administration is managed at the state level, the federal government is working to establish a uniform framework that will enhance efficiency across the country.
“Our role is to establish a uniform framework that enables states to build credible, efficient, and interoperable land titling and registration systems, fostering nationwide integration and functionality,” he stated.
The workshop also reviewed past efforts at land reforms, including the work of the Presidential Technical Committee on Land Reforms, which had proposed systematic land titling as a sustainable solution.
“There is industry-wide and global acceptance that it is the best and most proven method for titling, with adoption by several states already. What remains now is to have the National Council of State approve it,” Dangiwa noted.
He added that with the new initiative, the government aims to increase formal land transactions from 10 per cent to over 50 per cent in the next decade, improve access to credit, and enhance internally generated revenue (IGR) for states.
Dangiwa assured Nigerians that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to the reform.
“With the support of the World Bank, we are on the cusp of making history in Nigeria,” he added.
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