Much of the land sold in Lagos, especially in Ibeju-Lekki, Epe, Ikorodu and Badagry, belongs to families. Buying family land can be perfectly safe. It is also where many of the worst land disputes begin.

The usual problem is simple: the buyer paid the wrong person. One family member sold land that belonged to the whole family, or one branch sold land another branch also claims.

This guide explains who must sign when you buy family land in Lagos, and what to check before you pay.
How family land works
Under customary law, family land belongs to the family as a whole, not to any one member. Individual members may be allocated portions to use, but they do not own them outright unless the family has formally transferred them.

The family is represented by the family head (often called the Baale or Olori Ebi), acting together with the principal members of the family.
Who must sign?
Who signs
Is the sale valid?
Family head and principal members
Valid, if done properly
Family head alone, without the principal members’ consent
Voidable: the family can apply to set it aside, especially if they act promptly
Principal members without the family head
Generally void
A single member selling as if the land were theirs
Generally void, unless the land was formally partitioned or allocated to them with full rights

The safest approach is for the family head and the principal members, representing each branch of the family, to sign the deed together, with their roles stated clearly.
What to check before you pay
Identify the real family. Confirm the family’s name, its branches, and who the recognised head and principal members are. Ask neighbours, community leaders and the local palace.
Check for headship disputes. Rival heads or court cases between branches are serious red flags.
Check the family’s title. Has the land been excised from government acquisition and published in the gazette? Does the family hold a registered conveyance or C of O?
Chart the land. Confirm at the Office of the Surveyor-General that your plot falls within the family’s excised land and is not committed to a government project.
Search for litigation in the courts.
Inspect the land and speak to people in possession and neighbours.
Check earlier sales. Has the plot already been sold to someone else? Families sometimes sell the same plot more than once.
The documents you should receive
A registered deed of conveyance or assignment from the family, signed by the family head and principal members.
A registered survey plan in your name.
Receipts issued by the family, not an individual.
Copies of the family’s excision, gazette or title documents.

A family receipt and a land agreement alone are not a title. To fully protect your purchase, you will usually need to regularise your title, for example by applying for a C of O, or by obtaining Governor’s consent where the family already holds one.
About “omo onile” demands
Buyers of family land are often approached for foundation fees, roofing fees or “settlement” by people claiming to represent the family. The Lagos State Properties Protection Law 2016 makes it an offence to use force or to demand unlawful levies on land. Pay only the family, against proper receipts, and report harassment to the authorities.
Frequently asked questions
Can one family member sell family land? Generally no, unless the land has been formally partitioned or allocated to that member with the right to sell.

What if only the family head signed? The sale may be voidable. The family may challenge it, especially if they act quickly. Have the principal members ratify the sale.

Is excision and gazette the same as a C of O? No. Excision releases family land from government acquisition. Buyers will still need to regularise or perfect their own title.

What if I already bought family land without proper signatures? Get legal advice. It may be possible to obtain ratification from the family and regularise your title.

Do I have to pay omo onile fees? Unlawful levies and the use of force on land are offences in Lagos. Deal only with the family, and keep receipts.

About Cardinal Counsel

Cardinal Counsel (Barristers & Solicitors) is a Lagos-based law firm advising individuals, families and businesses, at home and abroad, on property transactions, commercial agreements, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution. The firm conducts land searches and family title investigations, prepares conveyances, and supports clients from verification to perfection of title.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Before you buy family land, contact Cardinal Counsel at Suite D14, Adeniran Ogunsanya Mall, Surulere, Lagos, or email info@cardinalcounsel.co.