Which professionals do you need to buy a home in Nigeria?

At a glance

Step 1: Choosing a home

Before you settle on a home, find out what it is worth. An estate surveyor and valuer inspects the home, compares it with similar homes nearby and writes a valuation report. In Nigeria, valuers register with ESVARBON, the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria.

A valuation helps you in three ways:

• You know whether the asking price is fair before you make an offer.
• Mortgage lenders usually ask for a valuation by a registered valuer.
• The report notes problems that a first viewing can miss, such as poor access roads or flooding.

Find an estate surveyor and valuer

What about estate agents?

Agents help people find homes and arrange viewings. On PropPay, homes are listed by their sellers, so you can contact a seller directly. If you use an agent elsewhere, ask who they act for. An agent usually works for the seller, not for you.

Step 2: Checking the title and contract

Skipping this step is one of the most common ways buyers lose money. Two professionals help here.

A property lawyer searches the title at the state Lands Registry. They confirm who owns the land, whether there is a Certificate of Occupancy or another title document, and whether a mortgage, a court case or government acquisition affects it. They then review or draft the contract of sale and the deed of assignment, and explain every clause to you. Lawyers in Nigeria are called to the bar and enrolled at the Supreme Court. On PropPay, every lawyer listed is one whose NBA registration NISH has checked.

A land surveyor checks the land itself. They compare the survey plan with the plot on the ground and check its coordinates against government records. This shows whether the boundaries match and whether any part of the land is under government acquisition or a road setback. Land surveyors register with SURCON, the Surveyors Council of Nigeria.

Find a property lawyer · Find a land surveyor

Step 3: Off-plan: checking the build

If you are buying a home that isn't finished yet, you need to know that it is being built properly and that the work on site matches what the developer says. Three professionals can help.

• A structural or civil engineer inspects the foundation, the frame and the materials at key points in the build. Engineers register with COREN.
• A quantity surveyor measures how much of the building is actually done and checks it against the bill of quantities and the contract. Quantity surveyors register with QSRBN.
• An architect reads the drawings, checks that the design matches the building approval from the state planning authority, and can advise on changes. Architects register with ARCON.

You don't always need all three. For a small block from a developer with a good record, an engineer's inspection at the main milestones is often enough. For a large estate, or a developer you don't know, a quantity surveyor's progress report gives you an independent view.

Find a structural engineer · Find a quantity surveyor · Find an architect

Step 4: Getting your keys

Two things happen at the end: the title moves to you, and you take over the home.

Your property lawyer completes the transfer. That usually means getting the deed of assignment signed, applying for the Governor's consent and registering the deed at the Lands Registry. Until the deed is registered, the title isn't fully yours on record, so ask your lawyer for a timeline at the start.

Before you accept the keys, ask a structural engineer to inspect the finished home. They list defects, such as cracks, damp, poor wiring or plumbing, so you can ask the developer or seller to fix them before you move in.

Find a property lawyer · Find a structural engineer

How to choose a professional

• Check their registration. Every profession above has a registration body. On PropPay, NISH has checked each professional's registration with their body. A check confirms the registration; it isn't a guarantee of their work.
• Ask for a written scope. Agree what they will do, what you will receive (a report, a search, a contract review) and by when.
• Use your own. Choose professionals who act for you, not the ones the seller or developer suggests.
• Keep everything. Keep every report and letter with your title documents. You or a lender may need them later.

Find a professional on PropPay

The Services page lists property lawyers, estate surveyors and valuers, land surveyors, engineers, quantity surveyors and architects. You can filter by profession and state, read each profile and send an enquiry. Before you talk to a lender, work out what you can afford with the budget calculator.