Africa: Real Estate and Construction

A piece of land can look like an excellent investment and still be legally unsuitable for the project you have in mind. In Nigeria, a buyer may discover after payment that the property is affected by government acquisition, a reservation, a proposed infrastructure corridor, competing claims or restrictions on its use. This is why checking the title alone is not enough. Before buying land in Nigeria, investors should establish who has the legal interest in the property, whether that interest can be transferred, whether the land is affected by government acquisition and whether it can legally be used for the proposed development.

APM Terminals has entered exclusive negotiations for Nigeria's $2.5 billion Badagry Deep Seaport project, but what contractual, land, regulatory and financing protections must be established before this proposed investment can move from MoU to commercial close? This analysis examines the legal mechanisms protecting major infrastructure investments in Nigeria, from PPP frameworks and NIPC guarantees to competition law concerns and currency risk management.

Risk is an unavoidable part of every construction project. Delays, design errors, unforeseen site conditions, payment disputes, regulatory changes, and economic fluctuations all affect project delivery. Because construction projects involve multiple parties, significant investment, and long execution periods, how these risks are allocated determines whether a project succeeds or fails.

A South African court held a landlord liable for severe injuries sustained by a minor child when a heavy sliding gate toppled onto him at rented premises. The judgment examined whether the landlord breached his duty to maintain reasonably safe premises and whether the absence of adequate safety mechanisms constituted negligence, with significant implications for property owner liability insurance.

The tenancy system in Lagos State has, for many years, been plagued by several challenges, including weak enforcement of existing laws, abusive exploitation and discriminatory practices by landlords, exploitative tendencies of agents, and arbitrary rent increases, to mention a few. In an attempt to curb these practices, the Lagos State Government has proposed the Lagos State Tenancy & Recovery of Premises Bill, 2025 (the “Bill”), which is designed to overhaul and sanitize the landlord-tenant relationship in Lagos State. The Bill is structured in four parts, comprising 45 Clauses.

Lagos State is transforming its real estate sector through digital land administration, faster approval processes, and regulatory reforms that reduce development costs and delays. These government initiatives are creating new opportunities for investors and developers across affordable housing, commercial real estate, mixed-use developments, and transit-oriented projects, while improving transparency and access to development finance.

The August Policy Trend Trail examines policy developments aimed at improving Nigeria’s economic potential through consumer protection, digital infrastructure, and the operationalisation of existing policy frameworks. The policies considered span across various sectors such as real estate, corporate commercial, taxation, public, postal, and digital economy sectors. Notwithstanding the diversity of sectors, the policy analysis reveals a shared common thread: the need to address structural gaps that have long constrained Nigeria’s economic growth and reduced consumer confidence. This Policy Trail examines not only the substance of each reform, but also the practical implementation questions that will ultimately determine their impact.

Nigerian port investments demand rigorous legal due diligence beyond cargo volumes and concession terms. From land title verification under multiple overlapping regimes to navigating the new NPERA regulatory framework, investors must understand what they're actually acquiring—whether it's freehold title, a lease, or operational rights under a BOOT concession that reverts to government at term end.

An individual or entity that desires, intends, or is actively negotiating to buy a parcel of land in the Federal Capital Territory (“FCT”) must apply great care and show diligence in every stage of the transaction.

A piece of land can look like an excellent investment and still be legally unsuitable for the project you have in mind. In Nigeria, a buyer may discover after payment that the property is affected by government acquisition, a reservation, a proposed infrastructure corridor, competing claims or restrictions on its use. This is why checking the title alone is not enough. Before buying land in Nigeria, investors should establish who has the legal interest in the property, whether that interest can be transferred, whether the land is affected by government acquisition and whether it can legally be used for the proposed development.

Buying property in Nigeria is one of the most rewarding financial decisions you can make, but only if you carry out proper legal due diligence. Every year, thousands of Nigerians, Nigerians in the diaspora...

For generations, Nigerians have regarded land as the safest store of wealth. The prevailing investment philosophy has been remarkably simple: acquire land, hold it patiently, and allow appreciation to generate wealth over time. Across Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and other commercial centres, countless families have followed precisely that strategy.