…As Sanwo-Olu Unveils Lagos Digital House Numbering System
By Our Correspondent
Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Arc. Ahmed Musa Dangiwa, has raised alarm over Nigeria’s low level of formal land documentation, revealing that “over 97% of land in Nigeria is not formally titled.”
Speaking at the Nigeria Land Titling, Registration and Documentation Programme (NLTRDP) held in Victoria Island, Lagos, the minister explained that the lack of proper land titling limits the economic potential of properties, as such lands cannot be effectively used as collateral and often have diminished market value.
Dangiwa noted that the Federal Government is taking steps to reverse the trend by working with states to modernise land administration.
He announced an ambitious target to raise formal land titling to 50% within the next 10 years through digitisation of registries, integration of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the adoption of global best practices.
“Our aim is to enable state governments to fully digitise their land registries, integrate GIS technology, and align with international standards so that land ownership records become transparent, secure, and accessible,” the minister stated.
On the sidelines of the event, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, unveiled the pilot phase of the state’s Identifier Project, a cutting-edge digital addressing system designed to streamline house numbering and street naming across Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu said the initiative will assign every property in the state a unique digital identity, improving navigation, emergency response, and public service delivery.
“This is about using technology as an enabler to resolve land issues. If you can get a property’s address, all necessary information about it will be accessible,” the governor said, commending the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda for prioritising modernisation of land administration.
The pilot phase, he announced, will begin in Ikeja next week and will incorporate QR codes along with local government-specific colour codes. The system will allow residents, officials, and service providers to instantly retrieve verified property information.
Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, described the Identifier Project as “a critical step towards modernising Lagos’ infrastructure,” with anticipated benefits in improved security, better revenue generation, and more efficient urban management.
