LEGAL DOCUMENTS YOU SHOULD RECEIVE WHEN BUYING LAND? Great questions. This is exactly the kind of thing every land buyer in Nigeria needs to know before they sign anything. 1. Survey Plan Shows the exact location, size, and boundaries of the land. Must be signed by a registered surveyor. 2. Deed of Assignment This is the document that transfers ownership from the seller to you. It is the most important document in the transaction. 3. Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) Issued by the government. Confirms the land has a valid title under the Land Use Act. 4. Governor's Consent If the seller is not the original owner, this is required by law before any transfer is valid. Many buyers don't know this and get burnt. 5. Receipt of Purchase Simple but important. Documents that money exchanged hands. 6. Irrevocable Power of Attorney If the original owner is not present, this should be provided to confirm the person selling has authority to sell. WHY YOU NEED A LAWYER A lawyer is not optional. Here is what they must do for you: 1. Search the title at the Land: Registry to confirm the land is genuine and not under government acquisition or disputed 2. Verify the seller's identity: confirms the person selling actually owns the land 3. Draft or review the Deed of Assignment: protects your interest in the language of the document 4. Obtain Governor's Consent after purchase: this perfects your title and makes it legally complete 5. File all documents at the appropriate government registries DOCUMENTS A LAWYER MUST GIVE YOU AT POINT OF PURCHASE * Contract of Sale: signed before full payment, binding both parties * Deed of Assignment: executed at or after final payment * Acknowledgment/Receipt on official letterhead The honest truth is this: a land transaction without a lawyer is a gamble. The document game in Nigeria is where most people lose their land years after buying. © BSAT Properties