Start with the person collecting money
The first risk in a property transaction is not always the building. It is often the person asking you to pay. Before you inspect, ask whether you are dealing with the owner, a landlord's relative, an estate agent, a developer sales rep, a caretaker, or a broker who got the listing from another broker.
Write down the full legal name, phone number, company name, office address and exact role of everyone in the chain. If the person says they represent an owner, landlord or company, ask for written authority and verify it independently. If the property is owned by a company, the bank account, invoice and agreement should point back to that company or an authorised representative.
- Full name and phone number of the person negotiating with you.
- Agency or company name, office address and public profile.
- Written authority to represent the owner, landlord or developer.
- A second contact at the owner or company side.
- A bank account name that makes sense with the agreement.
A verified profile is a useful signal, not a substitute for checking authority. Treat identity, authority and payment details as separate checks.
Match the advert to the real property
A convincing advert can still be inaccurate, outdated or copied from another listing. During inspection, compare the photos, address, landmarks, estate name, floor level, unit number, plot size, access road and building condition with what was advertised.
For completed homes, inspect the exact unit you will rent or buy, not a sample apartment unless the agreement clearly says you are buying a different unit. For land and off-plan projects, ask for coordinates, estate layout, allocation process, construction timeline and what infrastructure has already been delivered.
- Visit in daylight and, if possible, at a busy traffic period.
- Check that the street, estate, block and unit match the advert.
- Ask security staff or neighbours what they know about the property.
- Test water, lights, sockets, doors, windows and network reception.
- For land, confirm boundary markers and nearby development on site.
Do not pay for a property you have only seen through screenshots. If you are outside the city, send a trusted person or professional to inspect for you.
Ask for the right documents before discussing payment
The documents you need depend on what you are doing. Renting a flat is different from buying a resale house, buying land from a family, buying in an estate, or paying for an off-plan apartment. Still, the principle is the same: the papers must connect the seller or landlord to the specific property and to the transaction you are about to sign.
For a sale, ask for copies of the title documents, survey, seller's chain of ownership, draft deed or contract, and any estate allocation papers. For a rental, ask for a draft tenancy agreement, payment schedule, receipts format, service charge terms and the landlord or agent's authority. For off-plan projects, ask for building approvals, delivery milestones, refund terms and what happens if completion is delayed.
- Certificate of Occupancy or other registered title where available.
- Governor's Consent or evidence of the resale title history.
- Registered survey plan, coordinates and land size.
- Deed of assignment, contract of sale or tenancy agreement draft.
- Allocation letter, gazette, excision or estate documents where relevant.
- Building approvals and project delivery documents for off-plan sales.
Document names alone are not proof. Names, dates, land size, survey coordinates, title history and signing authority must all make sense together.
Run independent checks before you commit
Use your own lawyer, surveyor or trusted property professional. They should not be introduced only by the seller. For land and sales, ask them to check the relevant state land registry, confirm the survey coordinates, review the chain of title, check for government acquisition or encumbrances where applicable, and confirm what perfection or consent process is required after payment.
Under Nigeria's Land Use Act, land administration is state-based and statutory rights of occupancy are connected to the Governor's powers. That is why a property that looks fine physically can still have title issues if the document history, consent position or survey record is weak.
- Search title at the relevant state land registry.
- Chart the survey and confirm the land is where the document says it is.
- Review the seller's chain of title and signing authority.
- Check whether consent, registration, stamp duty or other perfection steps are pending.
- Confirm service charges, development levies, estate rules and outstanding bills.
Use this guide as preparation, not legal advice. A qualified lawyer and surveyor should verify title and survey details before you pay serious money.
Make the payment trail boring
Good transactions are usually boring on paper: a clear offer, a named buyer, a named seller or landlord, an identified property, a signed agreement, traceable bank transfers and receipts that describe what was paid for. If the payment path feels improvised, slow down.
Avoid cash-only pressure, split payments to unrelated personal accounts, urgency before inspection, and any request to pay into a name that does not match the agreement. Where the amount is significant, ask your lawyer about using staged payments, escrow-like arrangements, or payment tied to document delivery and handover milestones.
- Offer letter, invoice or agreed payment schedule.
- Signed agreement before major payment.
- Bank transfer narration that mentions the property and payment purpose.
- Receipt showing property details, amount and period or milestone covered.
- Saved email or chat confirmation of every material term.
Red flags that should stop the process
Property pressure often sounds reasonable in the moment: another buyer is waiting, the landlord is travelling, the developer is closing the batch, the family head is unavailable, the agent says the documents will come later. A serious property can survive verification. A fragile story usually cannot.
You do not need to prove fraud before you pause. If the person collecting money cannot explain the property, authority, documents and payment trail clearly, the safest move is to stop and verify.
- Payment requested before inspection or document review.
- Different names across advert, agreement, title document and bank account.
- Refusal to share document copies for professional review.
- No physical office, no company trail and no second contact.
- Price far below similar properties with an urgent deadline.
- Incomplete agreement, blank pages or verbal-only refund terms.
- Title story changes each time you ask a detailed question.
Common questions
Should I pay before inspection?
Avoid it. If you cannot inspect personally, ask someone you trust or a professional to inspect the exact property before you pay a commitment fee or deposit.
Who should verify the documents?
Use a lawyer for title and contract review, and a surveyor for survey coordinates, charting and boundary checks. They should be independent of the seller.
Is a receipt enough proof that I paid safely?
No. A receipt helps, but it should sit alongside a signed agreement, correct party names, bank evidence and a document trail that links the payment to the exact property.
What if an agent says another buyer is ready?
Treat urgency as a risk signal. If the agent cannot give you time to inspect, review documents and confirm payment details, the safer decision is to walk away.