Niger reduces cost of certificate of occupancy to N15, 000

Niger State government has reduced the cost of obtaining certificate of occupancy by existing and prospective landowners across the state to N15,000 effective from January 1, 2017. The amount which is applicable to both farms and residential lands is strictly for local government headquarters, while the amount for other locations is put at N5,000 regardless […]

Niger State government has reduced the cost of obtaining certificate of occupancy by existing and prospective landowners across the state to N15,000 effective from January 1, 2017.

The amount which is applicable to both farms and residential lands is strictly for local government headquarters, while the amount for other locations is put at N5,000 regardless of the sizes.

The gesture is expected to last for a period of six months after which all lands would revert to original cost of N127, 000.

The state Commissioner of Land and Housing, Malam Haliru Jikantoro, who disclosed this to newsmen in Minna said it   would enable the state to increase its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by allowing those who could not access the old amount, easy access, while also allowing it to authenticate genuine land owners, who hitherto not could afford the cost of documentation.

He added that the gesture would create wealth for indigent land owners by using same to approach banks for loans that would enhance their economic status.

He urged land owners to take advantage of the window of opportunity by authenticating their property through genuine certificate of occupancy, while also calling on those who are willing to own land to also act fast before the duration ends.