Do you know what a Certificate of Occupancy is? Why is it perceived as an important document of land ownership? The C of O spells out what the land can be used for either residential or commercial purpose. However, in Lagos state, you can get your C of O at Block 13, Room 4, Lands Bureau, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
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What is a Certificate of Occupancy?
A Certificate of Occupancy, also known as C of O, is a document issued by the government of Nigeria to landowners as a legal proof of ownership. The government is constitutionally mandated to issue the Certificate of Occupancy because all lands in the state are vested in the Governor of the State. This is clearly dictated by the Land Use Act 1978.
The individual that you are buying the land from determines how you will get your Certificate of Occupancy. If you are buying from omo onile it is advisable to ensure that the land or property you are about to buy has not been acquired by the government. If you are buying the land from the government, the process of obtaining your C of O in Nigeria would be initiated as soon as the sale is confirmed.
Application for Certificate of Occupancy
The processes involved in applying for a certificate of occupancy in Nigeria varies if it is a state-owned land or a non-state Land.
A state-owned land application for a certificate of occupancy requires the following documents below: a formal Letter addressed to the Executive Secretary, evidence of Income Tax payment, current development levy, a survey plan, a standard allocation form with receipt, four passport photographs with white background, all payment receipts of Land Charges and vital information form.
A non-state-owned land application for a certificate of occupancy involves the following processes below:
Submitting Application and Vital Information Form for Certificate of Occupancy.
Title Search for previous Registration and Site Inspection.
Certificate of Occupancy Engrossment.
Recommendation by a government official for execution of Certificate of Occupancy.
Execution of Certificate of Occupancy with stamp duty by theCommissioner for Stamp Duties.
Certificate of Occupancy is registered by the Land Registry.
Collection of executed and registered Certificate of Occupancy.
Lagos State Electronic Cof O
In the year 2015, Akinwunmi Ambode, the Lagos State Governor authorised the release of Electronic Certificates of Occupancy in Lagos state which and has been officially adopted since its inception. To collect your C of O, you have to check if your name is listed in the schedule in various publications.
If your name is published then you can visit the Lands Bureau at the Alausa Secretariat in Ikeja for the collection of your Certificates of Occupancy. The electronic Certificate of Ownership shows all the history and transactions that have taken place pertaining to the land.
