The moment you sign a document in a Nigerian land transaction is the moment your leverage starts to drop. Before that signature, you can walk away. After it, your options narrow. The five questions below should be answered to your satisfaction before any pen touches paper.

1. Whose name is on the title, and does that match the seller?

Pull up the title document. Look at the registered owner. Confirm it is the person or company selling to you. If a third party is selling on behalf of the registered owner, ask for the Power of Attorney that authorises them to do so. Check that it is notarised and current.

If the seller’s name and the registered owner’s name do not match, and there is no documented authorisation, the seller is not in a legal position to sell. Walk.

2. Is there a registry search confirming the title is clean?

A registry search is the document the land registry issues confirming the current status of a title. It tells you whether the title is current, whether it has been encumbered, whether there are pending court actions, and whether the ownership matches the document you have been shown.

Ask for the most recent registry search. If it is older than 90 days, request a new one. If the seller refuses or delays, that is a signal.

3. Are the survey beacons in place and matching the plan?

Survey beacons are the physical markers, usually concrete pillars, that define the corners of the plot. The survey plan filed at the registry shows their coordinates. Walk the boundary and confirm each beacon exists and matches the plan.

If beacons are missing, displaced, or in different positions from the plan, the boundary is in dispute. Resolve before you sign.

4. What encumbrances exist, and how will they be handled?

Encumbrances are legal claims against the property: mortgages, liens, easements, family disputes, pending court cases. The registry search will show formal encumbrances. Asking the seller directly about informal disputes (family members claiming part of the land, neighbors claiming access rights) is also wise.

Any encumbrance should be resolved before you complete the transaction. Get the resolution in writing.

5. What documents do I receive, and when?

Get clarity, in writing, about exactly which documents you will receive and at which stage of the transaction. Typically: signed Deed of Assignment at completion, original title document or a certified copy, the registered survey plan, the registry receipt confirming change of ownership, and the payment receipts.

If the seller is vague about which documents you get and when, the transaction is not properly structured.

Closing

These five questions take about two hours to work through with a competent advisor. They prevent the vast majority of common land disputes in Nigeria. We work through these on every Doppel transaction as standard. If you have a document you would like reviewed before signing, even if it is not a Doppel property, our legal team is available for a paid review.