Real Estate Scams: Fake Agents, Forged Titles Threaten Nigerians’ Life Savings

Thousands of Nigerians risk losing their life savings to alleged real estate fraud involving forged title documents, fake agents and disputed ownership, with an Abuja-based estate surveyor alleging that some cases involve insiders in land administration institutions.

Principal consultant at Osadolor A. & Associates Estate Surveyors & Valuers, Aisien Emmanuel, called for stronger regulation of estate agency and the prosecution of public officials found to have facilitated fraudulent transactions.

Emmanuel attributed the problem partly to the activities of unqualified property operators and inadequate regulation, urging Nigerians to engage registered professionals and verify property documents before making payments.

The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has acknowledged regulatory gaps in the sector. Its director of Press and Public Relations, Badamasi Haiba, referred enquiries to a July 28, 2026, statement announcing a stakeholder workshop to validate the proposed National Housing and Built Environment Regulation Policy and National Housing Data Programme.

The proposed policy seeks to introduce licensing for estate agents and property developers, strengthen professional standards, improve land administration and protect buyers’ funds through escrow arrangements. It also proposes establishing a National Housing Industry Regulatory Commission.

Recent cases investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) highlight the risks facing property buyers. In April 2026, the commission arrested an Abuja-based property agent over an alleged ₦288 million fraud involving a proposed property purchase in Asokoro.

In August, the EFCC arraigned three men and two companies over an alleged ₦23 million land fraud involving a 2.2-hectare parcel at Gausa, off Airport Road, Abuja. Prosecutors alleged that the defendants falsely claimed ownership and used a purported power of attorney to facilitate the transaction.

In another Abuja case involving more than ₦500 million, a prosecution witness alleged that buyers were sold disputed plots in Guzape and Katampe without the sellers establishing their authority. The witness also claimed that documents issued to buyers could not be matched with genuine land records.

A real estate developer and frontline member of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), who requested anonymity, said fraudulent transactions often involve intermediaries posing as agents, landowners or representatives of developers.

He warned that registered business names, rented offices, receipts and branded brochures do not establish ownership or prove that an agent has the authority to sell a property.

The problem has also attracted regulatory action. Authorities reportedly sealed a suspected fake real estate office in Ikorodu, Lagos, in March, while the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission sealed Paradise Estate in Life Camp Extension, Abuja, in April following allegations of consumer-rights violations and failure to deliver housing units despite receiving payments.

Emmanuel urged the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) to intensify public education and advocacy for statutory regulation of estate agency and brokerage. He noted that the NIESV and the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria (ESVARBON) maintain professional codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures for registered practitioners.

Housing Minister, Dr Muttaqha Rabe Darma, has cited Dubai’s licensing requirements and escrow arrangements as examples of measures that could strengthen investor confidence. Under escrow arrangements, buyers’ funds are held by an agreed independent party until specified contractual conditions are met.

Emmanuel advised prospective buyers to verify titles with the relevant land authorities, confirm sellers’ ownership rights and engage qualified estate surveyors and property lawyers before making payments. He also called for investigations into alleged official complicity, prosecution of proven offenders and effective implementation of the proposed reforms to protect Nigerians’ investments.