How to Conduct a Search at the Lagos Land Registry

Knowing how to conduct a land search at the Lagos Land Registry is as simple as eating your breakfast.

• Duplicate copy of  Certificate of Registration of the land.
• Application letter to the Registrar of Titles.
• Payment of search fee.

No longer required

• Owner’s Consent Letter

• Sworn Affidavit by the Owner or Applicant

Steps to be taken to conduct a land search at the Lagos State Land Registry

• When you get to the Land Registry in Lagos, you are expected to pay the required search fee of 3750 Naira only (as at the time of this write-up) at the designated bank.

• Once you pay at the bank, you should wait to collect the certificate of payment in the bank (as at the time of this write-up, it takes about 15-30mins for the bank to generate your certificate for payment).

• You are also required to photocopy your teller and certificate given by the bank, as the land Bureau is expected to keep the duplicate copy while they give you back the original copies of the teller and payment certificate after citing it.

• You will also be given a form to fill which requires simple answers like the Applicant’s name, Address, phone number, email, reason for search, payment details, payment certificate number and amount.

• Now take your application letter and all original and photocopies of your teller and certificate to the officer on duty.

• After that, you will be allowed access to a computer which will have the scanned copy of the original certificate and all required information (this is now known as E-search).

What you should look out for while you are on the Computer or E-search platform

• Check the description of the land
• Root of title
• Year of grant
• Name and address of the owner
• Type of grant
• The term of years of the grant
• Most importantly, check if there are encumbrances on the land eg. Restitution, Mortgage.

Preparing a Search Report for your client

Well, you can decide to jot down all the information shown on the e-search platform or perhaps just study it very well.

Then make a search report for your client from what you have seen or jotted down.

Make sure you give a rational and unbiased recommendation or advice concerning the land on the search report (very important).

We have provided a sample search report below for you. 

A sample of a land search report (Pdf)

Written by:

Joseph Okusare Joci.  He is a Lagos based Lawyer, Land Consultant, and the CEO/founder of Legalpanic.com.  He helps people do proper due diligence, land search and recommendation for land purchase. You can contact/email him via Legalpanic360@gmail.com.