Abuja’s Real Estate Maze: A Developer Speaks on Land Grabbing, Fake Documents, and What Buyers Must Check -By Daniel Nduka Okonkwo

A house can be beautifully designed, the estate can have a gate, security guards can stand at the entrance, a salesperson can produce documents and a buyer can pay millions of naira, yet none of those things, on their own, answers the most consequential question in an Abuja property transaction: who has the legal right to sell the land? That question sits at the heart of a property market where the consequences of getting it wrong can be devastating, from losing hard-earned savings to becoming trapped in ownership disputes, litigation, or battles over land that the buyer believed had already been secured. Behind some of the city’s booming property deals are deeper questions about the history of land allocations, competing claims, company identities, development rights, agents, and the systems available to detect problems before an unsuspecting buyer pays. Where verification is difficult, documentation is misunderstood or enforcement comes only after a dispute has emerged, the financial risk can ultimately fall on the person with the least power in the transaction, the buyer. This investigation enters that complicated terrain, examining the warnings, practices, and property-market realities described by Onaenabor Oshiokha Justin, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Oduma Shelters Limited, whose experience in Kuje provides a detailed window into the opportunities, risks, and unresolved questions confronting Abuja’s rapidly expanding real estate market.

Abuja’s expanding real estate market is creating opportunities for developers, investors, and homebuyers, but the rapid growth of the Federal Capital Territory’s property sector has also brought renewed attention to land documentation, ownership, development rights, and the risks buyers face before committing substantial funds.

One of the areas attracting increasing attention is the Kuje Area Council, where rapid population growth, expanding residential development, government institutions, agricultural activity, and relatively lower land and construction costs have combined to make the area an increasingly important part of Abuja’s property market.

A published study on agricultural land degradation in Kuje places the area at approximately 1,650 square kilometres, making it the largest of the six Area Councils in the FCT by landmass and accounting for about 22.5 per cent of the territory.

The expansion has also created challenges. Previous concerns raised around Abuja’s property market include the activities of unqualified or misleading real estate agents, questions surrounding land documentation, and the difficulty some prospective buyers face in distinguishing genuine property opportunities from transactions carrying unresolved title or ownership issues.

The Abuja Geographic Information Systems, AGIS, remains central to land administration within the FCT, while successive government initiatives have sought to address documentation and regularisation issues involving land originally allocated through Area Councils.

On April 11, 2025, the FCT Administration announced reforms concerning the regularisation of Area Council land documents. The administration said 261,914 applications submitted between 2006 and 2023 had been captured, with 8,287 vetted and 2,358 regularised, while 253,627 remained in the database at the time.

The issue remains significant because the history of a parcel of land, the authority behind its allocation, its current status, and the documentation supporting a transaction can determine whether a prospective buyer is acquiring a secure interest or entering into a potentially complicated dispute.

Against this background, Daniel Nduka Okonkwo, publisher of Profiles International Human Rights Advocate, spoke with Onaenabor Oshiokha Justin, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Oduma Shelters Limited, a real estate company which he said started in Kuje before expanding its operations across Abuja.

Justin discussed his company’s experience in the Kuje market, the importance of land documentation, the risks posed by questionable agents, the problems surrounding older Area Council allocations, land grabbing, and why he believes Kuje has significant investment potential.

QUESTION: What gap did you see in Abuja’s real estate market that led to the creation of Oduma Shelters, and what was the original vision?

JUSTIN: I lived in Kuje for many years and when I started, there were very few major real estate companies operating there. In fact, Kuje practically had no real estate company in the form that we know today.

We started from ordinary land selling and gradually moved into development. I believe we were the first registered indigenous real estate company in Kuje.

We started putting up billboards and creating awareness. But beyond the billboard, people should also check the company’s address, history, and documentation.

We started in Kuje and later expanded our operations into Abuja.

QUESTION: What exactly does Oduma Shelters do, and what distinguishes the company from the numerous property businesses now operating in Abuja?

JUSTIN: We have delivered terraces and estates. We have sold an entire estate of about 10 hectares where people are already living.

People can go to our website and Facebook pages and see pictures of our projects. We have documentation for the projects.

We have estates in places such as Maitama, Kabusa, Karsana, and other locations.

Our estates have titles and buyers can conduct searches.

Real estate is not just about putting up a signboard and selling land. There is a process involved, from the documentation of the land to development and delivery.

QUESTION: What should a prospective buyer demand before paying for a property?

JUSTIN: The buyer should see the documents and search.

We provide soft copies of the documents where necessary so that buyers can conduct their searches.

The buyer must verify.

People should also understand that lands within the FCT system are different from old Area Council allocations, and buyers should not rely solely on what a salesperson tells them.

They should search and verify the property.

QUESTION: Why did Oduma Shelters focus so strongly on Kuje, and what risks do you see there?

JUSTIN: I have lived in Kuje for about 18 years.

As land became more difficult to obtain in other parts of Abuja, many agents moved into Kuje.

But there is a difference between ordinary residential plots and a properly structured estate.

There are many plots in Kuje, but there are still relatively few genuine structured estates.

People should verify documents through AGIS and the relevant authorities.

There are also what I would call co-brand arrangements, where people work together around a property. Buyers need to understand who owns the land, who the developer is, and what rights each party has.

I believe Kuje is attractive.

For example, we have Court Villa by Oduma Shelters, located around the Kuje Oil and Gas area, near the Army Checkpoint. We also have Peace Crescent Estate in Kabusa. These are our properties, and they are not branded, marketed, or represented under the name of any other company. That is why it is important for prospective buyers to carry out proper due diligence and establish the genuine ownership and identity of the company behind any estate before committing their money.

When you walk into any of these estates and decide to buy, you are dealing directly with us. The name on the property, the company behind the development, and the relevant title documents should all correspond. There should be no confusion about who owns the estate, who is selling the property, or whose name appears on the documentation. For us, transparency is important because a buyer should be able to trace the property back to the genuine developer and verify the documents before making any financial commitment.

QUESTION: What about infrastructure? How are developers dealing with roads and other facilities in these estates?

JUSTIN: Infrastructure is a very important part of estate development, particularly when you already have residents, subscribers, and investors coming into the community. You cannot simply sell plots of land and leave people to fend for themselves. As developers, we have a responsibility to plan for the basic infrastructure required to make the estate functional and conducive for people to live and invest in.

For us, road construction is an ongoing process. We are preparing and improving the roads across the estates, although the rainy season has affected the pace and timing of some of the work. Some areas require proper drainage and additional preparation before the roads can be completed to the required standard, so we have to take the weather and the condition of the terrain into consideration. Nevertheless, the work is continuing.

Some investors and subscribers have committed their resources to these projects, and naturally, as development progresses and infrastructure improves, the value of the land also increases. Infrastructure is therefore treated as part of the overall development process, with the associated costs factored into the project and shared within the development structure.

Beyond roads, we also pay attention to drainage, access, layout, building standards, and the general organisation of the estates. We monitor developments to ensure that construction is carried out in accordance with the approved plans and that individual developments do not undermine the overall structure of the estate.

Security is another major consideration. People are not only buying land; they are investing in a community where they expect to live, build, and protect their investment. So, as development progresses, we also look at measures that can improve security and create a safer environment for residents, investors, and visitors. Our objective is to develop estates that are properly planned, progressively serviced, and capable of supporting sustainable communities over time.

QUESTION: Property prices have become a major concern for Nigerians. How affordable is real estate in Abuja today?

JUSTIN: Buyers complain about the prices, and I understand their concerns.

But development costs have also increased.

You have infrastructure, roads, security, building materials, and other costs.

Those costs are shared within the development process.

The cost of development has gone up, so buyers need to understand what they are paying for and what is included in the property.

QUESTION: What risks do buyers face from real estate agents?

JUSTIN: One of the risks buyers face in the real estate market is dealing with agents or intermediaries who may not properly understand the property they are selling or, in some cases, may attempt to conduct transactions outside the established process. That is why we have put procedures in place to reduce those risks and protect both the buyer and the company.

Our agents are expected to refer transactions back to the company office, where the buyer can receive the necessary information, verify the property, and complete the transaction through the appropriate channels. We do not permit buyers to make payments into personal accounts. Payments are made only through official company accounts, so there is a clear record of the transaction and the buyer has documentation that can be traced back to the company.

We also take the training of our agents seriously. Before they are allowed to properly represent our properties, we train them for about three months so they can understand our developments, the documentation, the procedures involved in sales, and the responsibilities that come with dealing with prospective buyers.

In addition to our regular agents, we work with external agents and property sellers. We bring them together for monthly lectures and training sessions to ensure that they understand the properties they are marketing, the terms of transactions, and the information they are expected to communicate to buyers.

An agent should not simply know the price of a plot and try to make a sale. They should understand what they are selling, know the location and status of the property, understand the relevant documentation, and be able to direct a buyer to the company for proper verification and completion of the transaction.

Ultimately, buyers should also protect themselves by insisting on official documentation, making payments through recognised company channels, and verifying the identity of the developer before parting with their money. That combination of proper internal procedures and buyer due diligence can significantly reduce the risk of fraud, misrepresentation, or disputes in real estate transactions.

QUESTION: What are some of the regulatory and structural problems affecting the Abuja property market?

JUSTIN: One of the longstanding challenges in the FCT real estate market has been the issue of Area Council land and the documentation and regularisation processes associated with it. Over the years, there have been concerns around recertification, approvals, conversion, and the process of bringing certain interests in land into the appropriate documentation framework.

The present administration has introduced measures relating to conversion and regularisation, and we welcome any process that provides greater clarity and certainty for landowners, developers, and prospective buyers. However, one question that still deserves attention is why, within the same Federal Capital Territory, there can be significant differences in the recognition, documentation, and financing prospects attached to land associated with the Area Councils compared with land administered through the FCDA.

That difference can have practical consequences for property owners and investors. For example, some financial institutions may be more cautious about accepting certain forms of Area Council documentation as security for financing, depending on the institution’s requirements and the nature and status of the title. Where that happens, a property owner may find it more difficult to use the property to access financing, even where the underlying interest in the land is capable of being regularised or otherwise recognised under the applicable legal framework.

This is why I believe the financial sector needs to engage more closely with the FCT property market. Institutions such as the Federal Mortgage Bank and commercial banks have an important role to play in expanding access to mortgage and development finance, subject, of course, to their statutory requirements, risk assessment,s, and applicable regulations.

Financing should also reflect the realities of the market. Sometimes, there can be a disconnect between the assumptions used by financing institutions and the actual cost of acquiring land, constructing a building, and delivering a project in today’s market. If the financing structure does not adequately reflect those realities, it can make development more difficult for both developers and prospective homeowners.

We now have an FCT where the relevant authorities are issuing Rights of Occupancy and Certificates of Occupancy in accordance with the applicable processes. What is important is that there should be greater clarity, consistency, and confidence in the documentation and that legitimate property owners should be able to use properly documented interests in land to access financing, subject to the requirements of the law and the individual financial institution.

The real objective should be to create a property market where documentation provides certainty, financial institutions have sufficient confidence to lend responsibly, developers can obtain the capital required to provide infrastructure and housing, and genuine buyers have a clearer pathway to home ownership.

I am not suggesting that banks should abandon their due diligence or risk management requirements. Rather, there should be stronger collaboration between the FCT authorities, developers, mortgage institutions, and commercial banks so that legitimate property transactions can be properly documented, responsibly financed, and allowed to contribute to the growth of the FCT’s housing and real estate sector.

QUESTION: How serious is land grabbing in Kuje?

JUSTIN: Illegal land grabbing is a serious problem in parts of the FCT, particularly in areas experiencing rapid development, such as the Kuje Area Council. You can have someone who has legitimately acquired a property, only to discover later that another person is attempting to develop, sell, fence, or otherwise interfere with that same property.

Even where a person has relevant title documentation, including a Certificate of Occupancy, disputes or attempts at interference can still arise. That is why proper due diligence, verification of the root of title, and confirmation of the relevant documents are extremely important before anyone buys land.

There are also concerns that financial influence or personal connections can sometimes complicate land disputes. Where such allegations arise, they should be properly investigated by the appropriate authorities rather than treated as facts.

The government needs to strengthen land administration, improve title verification, and provide effective mechanisms for genuine property owners to report and address suspected cases of unlawful occupation or interference. People who lawfully acquire property and obtain the appropriate documentation should be able to enjoy the protection of the law.

QUESTION: What problems arise from old company names appearing on Area Council land documents?

JUSTIN: There are situations where land was allocated to companies under the former Area Council system, at a time when corporate records and verification processes were not as robust or accessible as they are today. That can create complications where, years later, another company is registered with the same or a similar name.

For instance, if a company was legitimately allocated land in 2000 and another company with the same or a similar name was incorporated in 2025, the latter company cannot simply assume that the earlier allocation belongs to it. The identity of the legal entity, the historical records, the root of title, and the chain of ownership would all need to be properly established and verified.

This is why both buyers and the relevant authorities need to pay close attention to the history of the property and the identity of the entity claiming ownership. A company name alone should not be treated as conclusive evidence of title. Proper verification of corporate records, allocation documents, title documents, and the chain of ownership is essential before any transaction is concluded.

QUESTION: What are the non-negotiable checks a buyer should make before purchasing land?

JUSTIN: The first thing a buyer should do is carry out proper due diligence. Check the location, investigate the history of the company or individual selling the property, and understand exactly who you are dealing with. If someone is new to the market, you should not simply rely on what they tell you; verify their identity, track record, and authority to sell the property.

You also need to understand the basic details of the transaction, including the title documents, survey plan, deed, and other relevant documents. The person selling the property should be able to clearly explain the documents, the history of the land, and the nature of the transaction.

Land use is equally important. If, for example, a property is designated for agricultural purposes, you cannot simply assume that you can change its use without complying with the applicable planning, development, and land-use requirements.

Beyond the paperwork, buyers should understand the surrounding enviro