Blog · 22 October 2026

How to avoid land scams in Ibadan (checklist)

A practical checklist for buying land or renting in Ibadan: title search, survey, family land, agent fees and safe payment.

Land is where Ibadan buyers lose the most money. Most losses follow the same pattern: paying before checking. Use this checklist before any naira leaves your account.

Before you pay anything

• Inspect the land yourself, more than once, ideally at different times of day. Talk to neighbours about who owns it and whether there are disputes.
• Get copies of the documents: survey plan, receipts or deed showing how the seller got the land, and any Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) or Governor's Consent.
• Do a search at the Oyo State lands registry (the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development) to confirm who holds the title and whether there are encumbrances.
• Have a licensed surveyor confirm the beacons on the ground match the survey plan, and check the plot is not under government acquisition or a road-widening corridor.
• Use your own lawyer, not the seller's, to run the search and prepare the Deed of Assignment.

If it is family land

• Confirm who the family head and principal members are, and get their signatures on the sale documents.
• Ask how the land will move to a statutory title (C of O) and who pays for it.
• Be careful when only one family member is selling, or when the "family" will not meet you together.

Warning signs

• "Today only" pressure, or a price far below nearby plots. Compare with reported Ibadan land prices.
• The seller refuses a search, or says documents will come "after payment".
• Payment into a personal account when you are dealing with a company.
• Different names on the survey plan, receipts and seller's ID.

Renting? Know the "total package"

The Oyo State chapter of the Estate Rentals and Commission Agents Association of Nigeria (ERCAAN) has said its members' commission is typically 10% of the rent, and the legal agreement fee is also typically 10%. It also said it does not recognise inspection fees, and warned house-hunters not to pay them (Ibadan City Announcer, checked 22 Oct 2026). The Oyo State government and House of Assembly have said they plan to regulate agent fees, but check the current law before you pay.

• Ask for the full breakdown in writing: rent, agency, legal, caution and service charge.
• Pay rent to the landlord or the company's account, and get a receipt for every payment.
• Sign a written tenancy agreement before handing over keys money.

How Ìlú helps

Every real estate listing on Ìlú shows its trust card: where the details came from, when we checked, and what has not been checked yet. An Ìlú label is not a land title search. Always do the checks above.