CribCheckWhat you need
- A copy of the title document with its file or registration number.
- The survey plan and coordinates.
- The registered holder's name and the property address.
- A lawyer to conduct the search and report in writing.
What the report tells you
- Who is registered as holder, and whether that matches your seller.
- The nature and term of the title.
- Registered mortgages, charges, caveats or pending litigation notices.
- Whether the land falls within a government acquisition or committed area.
Timing
Do the search before any deposit, and make any deposit refundable and conditional on a clean search result. Deposits paid before a search are the most commonly lost money in Nigerian property buying.
General information, not legal advice. Title and land matters vary by state and carry real financial risk — instruct a property lawyer before you pay anything.