Statutory requirements
A reference list of the requirements that commonly arise in Abuja property transactions. It is organised by subject, and each item is expressed as something to establish — not as something this platform certifies.
Applicability varies
The applicable requirements depend on the property, title, transaction, parties and professional services involved. Publication on this platform is not a statutory approval or government endorsement.
Parties and authority
- Lister identity and authority
- Evidence of who the lister is, and of their authority to advertise and transact — ownership, a letter of authority, an agency instruction or a registered power of attorney.
- CAC registration for corporate listers
- Where the lister is a company or registered business, its registration status should be confirmed against the Corporate Affairs Commission record.
- ESVARBON professional verification
- Where regulated valuation services are provided, the estate surveyor and valuer should be verified as registered.
Title and land information
- AGIS title search
- A land-information search identifies the recorded holder and instruments affecting the plot at the date of the search.
- Title status and encumbrances
- Mortgages, charges, court proceedings, acquisition or revocation notices and disputes should be disclosed and independently checked.
- Survey data and site plan
- The survey plan number and site plan should correspond with the plot described and the boundaries on the ground.
- Deed or power-of-attorney registration
- Deeds of assignment, subleases and powers of attorney generally require registration to be effective against third parties.
- Ground-rent evidence
- Evidence of ground-rent payment, where applicable to the title.
- Area Council regularisation
- Where relevant, evidence of regularisation for land originating outside the formal FCT allocation process.
- Mass-housing or sectional-title evidence
- Where relevant, the developer's underlying title, the scheme documents and the instrument creating the unit interest.
Planning and development
- Planning and building approval evidence
- Approved land use and building-plan approval, identified by the actual document type and reference. There is no single universal certificate applicable to every property.
- Development Control compliance
- Development permits, completion or habitation evidence and disclosure of any contravention or enforcement notice, each where applicable.
Regulatory and consumer obligations
- SCUML and AML/CFT obligations
- Designated non-financial businesses and professions may have registration, customer due-diligence and reporting obligations.
- Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023
- Personal data must be processed lawfully, with a valid basis, appropriate security, and respect for data-subject rights.
- Consumer protection and advertising accuracy
- Listing content must be accurate and not misleading. Prices, fees, frequency and availability must be stated openly.
- Tax or TIN information
- Tax identification and transaction-related obligations may apply to parties and professionals, where applicable.
Where to check
Links to AGIS, Development Control, the Corporate Affairs Commission, ESVARBON, SCUML and the Nigeria Data Protection Act are listed on the due-diligence page. We do not reproduce any authority’s logo and claim no affiliation with any of them.
Official resources