Land Landowners Risks Losing Titles Under 1978 Act

Land Landowners Risks Losing Titles Under 1978 Act-

……Extends Deadline for recertification.

By Abba Dukawa

“The Kano State Commissioner of Land and Physical Planning, Hon. Abduljabar Umar, has warned that landowners in the state risk losing their titles if they fail to recertify them.

To address this, the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning has announced a 60-day extension for the Recertification Exercise for all issued Certificates of Occupancy (CofO)

Alhaji Abduljabbar Umar, Commissioner of Land and Physical Planning, announced during a press briefing in his office that the recertification deadline has been extended to give landowners more time to register their properties.

The exercise, launched on November 25, 2024, aims to create a comprehensive database of land properties across Kano State, enhancing land administration and reducing disputes .

According to him the State Government’s initiative aims to establish a robust land information system, promoting efficient land administration and reducing disputes

“The Commissioner explained that the database will capture crucial information, including Identifying landowners and property holders in Kano State, Specific use of each land-related property, such as residential, commercial, or industrial. Other Projected annual revenue from land-related properties, including ground rents and Infrastructure Availability across the state

As of the latest update, the database has successfully captured 241,025 properties across Nassarawa and Fagge local government areas while the process will be extended to remaining metropolitan local government areas in the state.

The Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning is urging landowners to recertify their titles by May 30, 2025, to avoid revocation under the Land Use Act of 1978. The recertification fee is N10,000, excluding outstanding debt.

To encourage compliance, the ministry will publish the names of defaulters in national dailies and government outlets.

The government commends the support of critical stakeholders, including the Kano Emirate Council and community leaders, for their contributions to the exercise’s success.

The recertification exercise is part of the ministry’s efforts to establish a robust land information system, promoting efficient land administration and reducing disputes. This initiative aligns with the ministry’s goal of enhancing transparency and accountability in land transactions.