Before you ask about price, plot size, or location, there's one word on a piece of land documentation that matters more than almost anything else: the title. In Nigeria, land is typically held under one of two arrangements — freehold or leasehold — and the difference between them shapes what you actually own, for how long, and what you can do with it.
What "freehold" actually means
A freehold title means the land is yours, indefinitely, subject only to the usual planning and building regulations that apply to any landowner. There's no expiry date on your ownership, no landlord above you, and no renewal process to worry about decades from now. When you build, sell, or pass the land to your children, you're doing so as the outright owner.
Where leasehold differs
A leasehold title, by contrast, grants you the right to use the land for a fixed term — commonly 99 years in much of Nigeria — after which the interest reverts to the original grantor unless it's renewed. That's not necessarily a problem for a 99-year lease signed today, but it does mean your ownership has a horizon, and lease renewal terms aren't always guaranteed to be favourable decades down the line.
Why this matters for resale and inheritance
Freehold land is generally easier to resell, easier to use as collateral, and simpler to pass down, precisely because there's no remaining term to account for. A buyer evaluating a leasehold property has to factor in how many years remain on the lease — which can affect both price and how easily a bank will lend against it.
What to ask for before you pay a deposit
- The title type, in writing. Don't rely on a verbal assurance — ask for it stated clearly in your offer letter or contract.
- A certified survey plan. This should show the exact boundaries, coordinates, and area of the plot you're buying — not just an approximate location.
- A deed of assignment or equivalent transfer document. This is what actually moves ownership to you, and it should reference the same title type quoted verbally.
- Confirmation of who you're paying. Payment should always go to a company's official corporate account — never to an individual, however senior-sounding their role.
Every development in the HayProperty portfolio — Sterling Court, Greenfield, Ìrètí, and Pride Rock — is sold on a freehold basis, each backed by a certified survey plan on file. If a title type is ever unclear to you as a buyer, that's a question worth asking before anything else.