By Atoyebi Nike
Housing and Urban Development Minister Ahmed Dangiwa outlined the initiative at a stakeholders’ workshop on the National Land Registration, Documentation, and Titling Programme (NLRDTP), themed “Moving from Inception to Implementation.”
The scheme branded “Land4Growth” will replace Nigeria’s fragmented, paper-based land management with a digitized and transparent national framework. Less than 5% of land nationwide is currently formally titled, leaving millions without secure ownership proof and depriving governments of significant revenue.
Dangiwa said the programme targets a 50% increase in formal land registration within 10 years, alongside the rollout of standardized Land Information Systems and Geographic Information Systems. It will strengthen state land agencies, enable efficient property taxation, and turn land into a driver for credit, investment, and housing delivery.
While the federal government will provide coordination, funding, and technical support with partners such as the World Bank, states will retain full constitutional control over land matters under the Land Use Act.
The first phase will focus on 18-20 reform-ready states, aiming to issue over one million digital land titles and train more than 2,000 land management professionals. Other measures include deploying a National Land Information Repository and harmonizing governance structures to simplify processes, reduce transaction times, and enhance transparency.
Dangiwa stressed that for citizens, secure titles will unlock access to credit, raise property values, and reduce disputes, while states will benefit from improved internally generated revenue, better urban planning, and greater investor confidence.