How to Check if a C of O Is Real in Lagos, Nigeria (2026 Guide)

A Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) is the strongest title document most buyers in Lagos will see. It is also one of the most forged. Before you pay a single naira, the C of O must be checked at the source.

Step 1: Get a clear copy of the document

Ask the seller for a full, legible copy of the C of O, including the survey plan attached to it. Note the registration number, page, volume and the name of the holder.

Step 2: Run a search at the Lagos Land Registry

A formal search at the Lands Registry in Alausa confirms whether the C of O exists, who holds it, and whether any mortgage, caveat or dispute is registered against it. The name on the registry record must match the seller, or the seller must show a registered chain of transfer.

Step 3: Chart the survey plan

The coordinates on the survey plan are charted at the Surveyor General's office. This tells you whether the land sits under government acquisition, a road setback, a canal or a drainage corridor. A real C of O on land later caught by acquisition can still put your money at risk.

Step 4: Visit the land

Confirm the land on the ground matches the survey, find out who is in possession, and speak with neighbours. Families and community claimants often surface here.

Warning signs of a fake C of O

• The seller refuses a registry search or rushes you to pay "before others buy".
• Spelling errors, wrong seals or a holder name that does not match the seller.
• A survey plan that does not chart to the same location.
• A price far below the area's going rate.

A typical case we handle

A client in the United Kingdom was about to pay for a plot in Ibeju Lekki on the strength of a C of O photo sent on WhatsApp. Our search showed the document number belonged to a different parcel. The client walked away with their money intact, and we later helped them buy a verified plot nearby.

Let us verify it for you

Noblemen Networth Management carries out registry searches, survey charting and site visits for buyers in Nigeria and in the diaspora. Request a document verification or check a property's risk today.