Commentary · 16 June 2026
Buying Lagos property from abroad in 2026: the cost of perfection has changed
For clients buying from the US, UK, South Africa, the UAE and Asia, the revised Lagos fees make one habit expensive: paying for land first and dealing with title later.
Kaiser Afokoghene · 5 min read
The position
Most of the diaspora files we are asked to rescue follow the same pattern. Money was sent to a relative or an agent, land was paid for, and the documents were left for another day. The 2026 revision of Lagos land transaction fees has made that other day considerably more expensive.
Since consent, registration and stamp duty are now calculated on higher assessed values, the perfection cost on a parcel bought informally two or three years ago is materially greater today than it would have been at the time. Delay is no longer neutral.
The sequence that protects a buyer abroad has not changed: investigate title at the registry, inspect the land physically, agree a payment schedule tied to documentary milestones, then execute and pursue consent. What has changed is the size of the number attached to the final step, which is a reason to budget for it in the offer rather than discover it later.
A properly drawn power of attorney matters just as much. It should name the attorney, state exactly what they may and may not do, and be limited in time. A general authority handed to a family member is how good intentions become litigation.
We act for clients in the US, UK, South Africa, the UAE and Asia, and we report in writing at every stage so you are never relying on a phone call for the state of your own transaction.
Continue reading
More from the desk.
- Read
Commentary
Supreme Court voids parts of the NIWA Act and affirms State control of waterfront land
In a judgment delivered in May 2026 the Supreme Court declared sections 12 and 13 of the NIWA Act unconstitutional and restrained the Federal Government from controlling lands adjoining inland waterways in the States.
- Read
Commentary
Lagos tenancy reform: what landlords, tenants and agents should expect
The Lagos Tenancy Bill 2025 was among the property reforms announced on 10 July 2026. Together with the revised land fees, it points to a tighter, more documented rental market in Lagos.
- Read
Legal alerts
CAC moves to strike off 100,000 companies: what your board has 90 days to do
By a public notice dated 15 July 2026, the Corporate Affairs Commission began Batch 6 of its striking-off exercise and gave affected companies 90 days to file outstanding annual returns and beneficial ownership information.