A Certificate of Occupancy is an official document issued by the government that serves as legal proof of a person’s right to occupy land in Nigeria for a specified period, typically 99 years. Introduced by the Land Use Act of 1978, the C of O establishes leasehold ownership, as all land in Nigeria is ultimately vested in the government. Without a CofO, land ownership claims may be legally weak, exposing property owners to disputes or government revocation.
