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The short answer
Before buying farmland in Nigeria from the UK, confirm who holds title and whether the state recognises it, survey the boundaries, and settle who will farm it and how you will see the records. Many rural plots have no registered title, so registration with the state lands office is part of the purchase. In Lagos, transfers need the Governor's consent; some states, such as Edo, publish their own registration steps and fees.
Why farmland is different
A plot in a Lagos estate sits in a registered layout with a developer to chase. Farmland is often family or community land, sold by people who hold it by custom rather than by registered title, with boundaries marked by trees or streams. Oyo State officials said in 2020 that most residential properties in the state lacked registered titles; rural land is unlikely to be better documented. The buyer's job is to turn a customary holding into something a state lands office will record in your name.
Title checks
- Who is selling. For family land, the family head and principal members usually need to sign. For community land, the recognised traditional authority. Get the names from a local lawyer, not the seller.
- What title exists. Ask whether there is a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O), a registered deed, or only a purchase receipt.
- Search at the lands registry. In Lagos, the e-GIS portal launched in January 2024 lets you search and verify land records and apply for a C of O or Governor's consent online.
- Government acquisition. Check the land is not under acquisition or set aside for a road or reserve. In Lagos, see excision and gazette checks.
- Survey. Commission your own registered surveyor and compare the survey plan with what is on the ground.
Our Nigeria library covers the general checks in title checks in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.
Registering in your name
Each state runs its own process. Two examples from official or reported sources:
- Lagos
- A Legal500 note says alienation needs the Governor's consent, instruments must be stamped within 30 days of execution and registrable instruments registered within 60 days.
- Edo
- The EdoGIS guideline for individuals (2022) lists a free application form, photo ID, transfer documents, original survey plan, proof of tax or a ₦100,000 development levy for diaspora applicants in place of a tax clearance, and a ₦50,000 non-refundable prime charge. A C of O is processed within 30 working days of full payment.
- Oyo
- In 2020 the state reported a digitised C of O scheme with processing in about 60 days.
Fees and timelines change; confirm the current schedule with the state's lands office before paying.
Who farms it, and how you will know
Most farmland bought from abroad is managed by someone else: a relative, a hired manager or an agribusiness company. The risks are the same as with any absent ownership, multiplied by weather and harvest timing.
- Sign a written agreement setting out who pays for inputs, labour and transport, and how sale proceeds are shared.
- Ask for monthly reports with photos and receipts, and a harvest record showing quantities and prices.
- Have produce buyers pay into an account in your name where possible.
- Visit, or send someone independent, at planting and at harvest.
- Be cautious with schemes that promise fixed returns from farming; check any firm against the SEC register before you invest. See checking a Nigerian investment firm.
Paying safely from abroad
Most farmland frauds against buyers abroad come down to paying the wrong person before the checks are done. Keep three rules. Pay nothing beyond a small, receipted deposit until your lawyer's title report is in hand. Pay the seller directly, to an account in the name on the sale agreement, not to an agent or relative. Where the sum is large, consider having funds held by your lawyer until the deed is signed and the survey agreed; our guide to escrow for Nigerian property explains how that works. Ask for a receipt for every payment, naming the land, the payer and the payee.
Money and tax
Paying for land from abroad leaves a trail you will need later: the purchase receipt, the survey invoice and registration fees all form your cost if you ever sell. HMRC works out UK capital gains on foreign assets in pounds at the rates on the dates of purchase and sale (CG78310), so keep the dates. Income from the farm is foreign income for a UK resident. See UK CGT on Nigerian land.
What to check first
- A local lawyer's written title report.
- A survey by your own registered surveyor.
- The state's registration requirements and fees.
- A signed management agreement and reporting schedule.
- Where every payment will go and who signs for it, including the money for seeds, labour and transport in the first season.
Where Pryme fits
A Pryme account opened from the UK lets you pay the seller, surveyor and lands office in naira from your own Naira account details, and receive produce sales the same way. Every payment can be backed by a verifiable receipt or statement generated with VerifyDoc.ai, which helps when you later need to prove your costs.
Questions people ask
Can I buy farmland in Nigeria while living in the UK?
Nothing in the sources we checked bars it. The work is in the title checks, survey and state registration, usually done through a local lawyer and surveyor.
What documents should farmland in Nigeria have?
Ideally a Certificate of Occupancy or registered deed. Many rural plots have only a purchase receipt from a family or community, and need to be registered with the state after purchase.
How much does a C of O cost in Edo State?
The 2022 EdoGIS guideline lists a ₦50,000 prime charge and a ₦100,000 diaspora development levy in place of tax clearance, plus premium and ground rent set at offer. Confirm current fees with EdoGIS.
How do I monitor a farm from the UK?
Use a written management agreement, monthly reports with photos and receipts, produce payments into your own account, and independent visits at planting and harvest.
Sources
- TheCable: Oyo digitised C of O within 60 days (3 May 2020) · accessed Oct 2026
- TheCable: Lagos launches portal to apply for C of O and Governor's Consent (26 Jan 2024) · accessed Oct 2026
- Legal500 (Tope Adebayo LP): Governor's consent, stamping and registration in Lagos · accessed Oct 2026
- Edo State Government: EdoGIS property registration guideline, individuals (2022) · accessed Oct 2026
- HMRC Capital Gains Manual CG78310: assets bought or sold for foreign currency (updated 22 Oct 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.