News
Over 90% of Nigerian lands unregistered, says Minister
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, has said over 90 per cent of land in Nigeria remains unregistered.
He said this has resulted to over 300 billion dollars loss due to longstanding land registration challenges.
Dangiwa disclosed this on Tuesday at the National Land Registration and Documentation Programme (NLRDP), a National Workshop, organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in Abuja.
He said that since the inception of formal land registration in Nigeria in 1883, the processes have been conducted under a non-compulsory sporadic system.
“This process was slow, cumbersome, opaque and expensive for the average landowner.
“It is not surprising that less than 10 per cent of the entire land in the country was registered in 140 years,’’ he said.
According to him, this has made it impossible for landowners to leverage their assets for economic purposes.
“Nigeria has faced longstanding challenges in land governance including: lack of a systematic, credible, and uncontested framework to identify property ownership, interests, and locations.
“The cumbersome and inefficient property registration process has resulted in less than 10 per cent of land in Nigeria been registered under the current sporadic system.
“Other challenges include the absence of authoritative data to support effective land administration, limited access to available land records, the existence of the Land Use Act of 1978 (now Cap 2004).
“This was without the necessary regulations to facilitate its implementation,’’ he said.
Dangiwa added that the absence of a national institution to advise the Council of State, which was empowered to make regulations for the Act.
He said inadequate data and information for effective land valuation in both urban and rural areas was also a major challenge.
Dangiwa said addressing this issue was not just about administrative efficiency but a critical step towards economic transformation.
According to him, this workshop marks a significant step in the current administration’s efforts to implement long-overdue reforms.
He said that these reforms were essential to unlocking the immense potential of Nigeria’s landed assets for economic growth, wealth creation, poverty reduction, capital accumulation, and national development.
This, he said, could be through the National Land Registration, Documentation, and Titling Programme.
He said the ministry planned to develop and inaugurate a National Digital Land Information System (NDLIS) to modernise land administration.
According to him, this will centralise and digitise land records, reducing bureaucracy and corruption in land transactions.
Dangiwa added that the ministry sought to increase the formalisation of land transactions from less than 10 per cent to over 50 per cent in the next 10 years
He said the ministry remained committed to expanding the formal economy, enhancing the capacity to track and regulate land markets, and improving access to credit for citizens and businesses.
Sen. Aminu Tambuwal, Chairman, Senate Committee on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said land was one of the most critical assets of any nation.
According toTambuwal, Nigeria continues to face persistent hurdles in land administration and accreditation, including bureaucratic inefficiencies, lack of transparency, and recurring disputes.
He reiterated the Senate Committee’s commitment to providing robust legislative support to ensure the success of the programme.
”These include: strengthening land administration frameworks, conducting oversight to ensure accountability, providing sustainable funding for critical initiatives, and collaborating with state assemblies to harmonise land-related centres,” he said.
Also speaking, Ademorin Kuye, Chairman, House Committee on Public Assets, said Nigeria’s land assets were unaccounted for and the economic implication was that undocumented land could not serve as collateral for loans and investment.
”Poorly governed land leads to illegal encroachment, deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices.
“The legal challenges are the ambiguities in land titles which force endless litigation, draining resources, and undermining trust in our judicial system.
“It is against this background that this land registration and documentation programme emerges as a beacon of hope, a bold step towards addressing these systemic challenges through innovation, collaboration, and digitisation.”
Also speaking, Dr Ndiamé Diop, the World Bank’s Country Director, who was represented by Dr Michael Ilesanmi, said the National Land Registration and Documentation Programme aligned with the vision of the World Bank to eradicate poverty.
“We are proud to partner with the Government of Nigeria on a number of development initiatives; this particular programme will help unlock the potential of the nation at national and sub-national level for investors.”(NAN)
Sudan Army said it is close to taking control of the Presidential Palace in Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
State TV reported on Thursday, in a significant milestone in a two-year- old conflict that threatens to fracture the country.
The RSF quickly took the palace and most of the capital at the outbreak of war in April 2023, but the Sudanese Armed Forces has in recent months staged a comeback and inched towards the palace along the River Nile.
The RSF, which earlier this year began establishing a parallel government, maintains control of parts of Khartoum and neighbouring Omdurman, as well as western Sudan, where it is fighting to take control of the army’s last stronghold in Darfur, al-Fashir.
The taking of the capital could hasten the army’s full takeover of central Sudan, and harden the east-west territorial division of the country between the two forces.
Both sides have vowed to continue fighting for the remainder of the country, and no efforts at peace talks had materialised.
The war erupted amid a power struggle between Sudan’s army and the RSF ahead of a planned transition to civilian rule.
The conflict has led to what the U.N. calls the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, causing famine in several locations and disease across the country.
I t said that both sides have been accused of war crimes, while the RSF has also been charged with genocide. Both forces deny the charges.
The fight for the Presidential Palace has raged over the past several weeks, with the RSF fighting fiercely to maintain control, including via snipers placed around surrounding downtown buildings.
However, its leader, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, instructed troops earlier this week not to give up the palace.
Late on Wednesday into Thursday morning, explosions could be heard from airstrikes and drone attacks by the army targeting central Khartoum, witnesses and military sources told Reuters.
The army has long maintained the advantage of air power over the RSF, though the paramilitary group has shown evidence of increased drone capabilities recently.
On the Telegram messenger app, the RSF said its forces were making advances towards the Army General Command, also in central Khartoum, and eyewitnesses said the force was attacking from southern Khartoum.
The army’s advance in central Sudan since late last year has been welcomed by many people, who had been displaced by the RSF, which has been accused of widespread looting and arbitrary killings, and of occupying homes and neighbourhoods.
The RSF denies the charges and says individual perpetrators will be brought to justice.
Hundreds of thousands of people have returned to their homes in Central Sudan, though late on Wednesday activists in Omdurman warned that some soldiers have engaged in robbery.
The military has routinely denied such allegations.(dpa/NAN)
The Igbo Ministers Commission of South East has again restated that the Nigerian government cannot fairly prosecute the leader of the Igbo nation agitators, Nnamdi Kanu on terrorism charges and any other offense known to law.
The group in objecting to the trial of Kanu by the federal government, predicated its opposition on the alleged breach by the country of its own laws and international obligations.
In a statement on Thursday, in Abuja, the Ministers faulted the way and manner Kanu was brought in 2021 to the country through what they described as “kidnapping and state sponsored international banditry”.
Rev Tony Uzo Anthony, the international President of the concerned Igbo Ministers Commission signed the statement on behalf of his colleagues.
The statement read in part “We understand that the upcoming trial of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, scheduled to begin on 21 March 2025 in Abuja, has raised many questions and concerns.
“As this case is of great public interest, we believe it is important to break down the key legal issues in simple terms so that everyone can understand what is at stake.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the great and noble family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is being tried on charges related to terrorism- they have abandoned treason and treasonable felony after many years of maligning our leader and peddling worthless charges all because they want to cripple his legitimate right to agitate for Biafra.
“The fact remains that the way he was brought back to Nigeria—through kidnapping and state sponsored international banditry—has raised serious legal questions.
“The Supreme Court judgement that nullified the sound judgement of the Appeal Court that discharged him and referred the matter back to the high court, is now dead on arrival. This case is restarting from scratch (de Novo), which means all previous proceedings are set aside, and the trial will begin anew.
“Can Nigeria prosecute Onyendu for Terrorism After Breaking International Laws? Nigeria’s Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act (TPPA) 2022 defines terrorism as acts committed to further an ideology (political, religious, racial, or ethnic) that violate international treaties.
“The abduction of Onyendu, an act described as criminal by the Nigeria’s apex court, violated several international treaties Nigeria has signed. This raises the question: Can a government that breaks its own laws and international obligations fairly prosecute someone for terrorism?
“Section 19(d) of the Nigerian Constitution requires the government to respect international laws and treaties. By abducting the IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the government of Nigeria has broken these laws as confirmed by the Supreme Court, which weakens Nigeria’s moral and legal standing in this case.
“The TPPA 2022 replaced an older law, the TPPA 2013. The new law allows the government to continue using the old law for cases that started before the change.
“However, since this case is restarting from scratch, courts have ruled that old laws cannot be used for new cases. This means the government will not be able to rely on the old law to charge him.
“Starting de Novo means the case is beginning anew, as if the previous trial never happened. This makes it harder for the government to use old laws or past actions to justify new charges. This means that he can no longer be charged under the old law which is the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act (TPAA) 2013.
“This case is not just about Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu; it is about the rule of law and the integrity of Nigeria’s justice system. If the government can break its own laws and international treaties, it sets a dangerous precedent for how citizens are treated. A fair and transparent trial is essential to uphold justice and maintain public trust in the legal system.
“We urge the international community to prevail upon the Nigerian government to
ensure that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s trial is conducted in the open and is seen to be fair and transparent, in line with the laws of Nigeria and especially its Constitution and international laws.
“Government should avoid using outdated laws to prosecute him, as this would be against legal principles and a violation of the Constitution of Nigeria. It should uphold the rule of law and respect for human rights, which are the foundation of any democratic society.
“The trial of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a test of Nigeria’s commitment to justice and the rule of law. We call on all nations and peoples of the world to pay attention to this case and demand a process that is fair, transparent, and respectful of the municipal laws and international obligations.
“Together, we can ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done”, the statement said.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), in Abuja, has rejected the additional proof of evidence brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele in the alleged procurement fraud trial brought against him.
The additional proof of evidence filed on October 15, 2024 by the EFCC was seeking to introduce fresh evidence against Emefiele, more than 365 days when the charges against him was filed.
It also sought to bring two witnesses, Tommy Odama John and Ifeanyi Omeke, whose extra judicial statements were made in August 2024, in respect of the charge that had been filed in August 2023.
Delivering ruling on Thursday in a motion on notice filed by Emefiele to object to the action of the EFCC, Justice Hamza Muazu held that the anti-graft agency had on February 12, 2024, first filed additional proof of evidence against the former CBN governor to accommodate the evidence of a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha and one Bamayi Haruna Mairiga.
The judge who noted that the charge against Emefiele was filed since August 14, 2023 and his plea taking on November 16, 2023, said that the action of the EFCC had a resemblance of denial of fair trial because the former governor of CBN was not confronted with the new evidence during investigation as required by law.
Justice Muazu said that the action of EFCC amounted to trial by ambush and a clear case of fishing for evidence in the trial that commenced since November 28, 2023.
In the ruling, the judge agreed that allowing the additional proof of evidence after the charge had been amended severally was prejudicial to the defendant, as his right to fair hearing is being breached.
Justice Muaza held that the position of the law, is that the charge was filed upon the completion of investigation and prima facie case established against any defendant in a criminal matter, adding that in the instant case, the contrary is the case.
The judge however, declined to strike out the charge for being a product of incomplete or ongoing investigation and therefore speculative as claimed by Emefiele.
Justice Muaza said that the charge cannot be struck down because both the defendant and the prosecution had joined issues with each other and trial almost completed.
The judge that having gone so far, justice would be served if the trial is completed on its merit and final judgment delivered in the matter.
He also declined to expunge the evidence of Boss Mustapha and Bamayi Haruna Mairiga from the court records as requested by Emefiele that the evidence of the two witnesses offended Section 36 (2) of the 1999 Constitution on fair hearing.
Emefiele had in the motion argued by his lead counsel, Mr Mathew Burkaa, SAN complained that the evidence of Mustapha and Mairiga were brought to court by EFCC without confronting him with their extra judicial statements made long after the trial had commenced.
Meanwhile, Justice Muaza has fixed June 3, for continuation of trial in the charge marked: FCT/HC/CR/577/2023.