IMPORTANCE OF A GOOD LAND REGISTRATION SYSTEM (1)

| July 4, 2017 | Land Verification | 2 Comments

Sometime ago on this blog, I discussed on various laws governing land, land registration process, its rules and regulation. Today, the discussion on this post will focus on the importance of a good Land Registration system in Lagos State and how the Lagos State Land Registration Law has improved land registration.

First, it is important to note that each state in Nigeria has its unique laws governing on land, however, the Land Use Act is superior. For example, the Edo state government passed into law the C.D.A Bill prohibiting forceful and illegal occupation of landed property by Community Development Association. The Ogun State government passed into law the Anti Land Grabbing Bill also prohibiting forceful takeover of land by persons.

In Lagos State, they are various laws bothering on land/property regulations, some of which are the Property Protection Law 2016, Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011, Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps Law, Lagos State Land Registration law etc. Like i said earlier, our focus will be on Lagos State Land Registration law and the importance of a good Land Registration system.

WHAT IS LAND REGISTRATION?

Land Registration generally addresses records on land concerning ownership, possession or other rights in land. These records provides evidence of title, it ease land transactions, monitor land transactions and prevent unlawful dealings.

The land registration process is usually controlled by government agencies in each state. In Lagos State, land registration process is controlled by Lagos State Lands Bureau Alausa Ikeja.

WHY IS A GOOD LAND REGISTRATION SYSTEM IMPORTANT?

A good land registration system is important to encourage property owners register: Land as we know it is an asset to any economy, individual or organization. It is the basis on which prosperity and wellbeing is formed. Having said this, one of the fundamental reasons for land registration is to prove title to a land. A good Land registration system makes it easy and encouraging for a property owner to register and have a conclusive proof of ownership and an evidence to tender in event of dispute on a land.
Generate more internal revenue for the state: It provide a steady flow of internal generated revenue for the government, which in turn help improve the growth and sustainability of a state.
Giving property owners a sense of security and value: Another importance of a good land registration system is the security, certainty and value it gives to land owners, by providing greater protection against fraudulent claim or possession of a land.
It reduces litigation and conflict: A good land registration system reduces litigation and conflict. It shows the legal state and history of a land, and whether it is government acquired.
Make it easier for prospective buyers to acquire property: A good land registration system makes it easy for anyone wanting to buy a property by making it easy to access information and the history of a prospective land.

In most of my articles, I emphasis that all property owner must see that their title to a land is registered. However, due to the poor land registration system, this process has been made tedious, expensive, frustrating and time consuming, thus discouraging property owners willing to register have a rethink. These challenges led to the enactment of the Lagos State Land Registration Law.

The bill came into force on the 21^st of January 2015, under the administration of Babatunde Fashola (SAN) Former governor of Lagos State. The Lagos State Land Registration Law is a comprehensive compilation of legislation on land registration in Lagos State. The essence of this Bill is to make the process of land registration for property owners in Lagos State effortless.

The law to a large extent addressed issues that has for years limit the land registration system in Lagos State. This has also made the land registry in Lagos currently the most developed land registry in Nigeria.

The law has also put in place new features to improve land registration in Lagos state. Some of these features are:

Good storage and classification process that makes it easy for anyone seeking information on land;
Easy accessibility to the public with an organized data and record collection on all lands in the state;
Fast registration process;
Less expensive to access.