FG to unlock $150bn dormant land capital to drive economic growth

The Federal Government plans to unlock over $150 billion in dormant land capital nationwide as part of efforts to boost economic growth, according to the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa.

In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Badamasi Haiba, Dangiwa made the announcement on Thursday at a stakeholders’ workshop in Lagos on “The Nigeria Land Registration, Documentation and Titling Programme” (NLRDTP), themed “Moving from Inception to Implementation.”

The initiative, also known as the Land4Growth Programme, aims to transform land from a dormant asset into an economic driver by introducing a digitised, transparent, and efficient national land administration framework. The minister noted that less than 5% of land in Nigeria is currently formally titled, leaving millions without secure ownership and depriving governments of significant revenue.

According to Dangiwa, the current system locks away an estimated $300 billion in “dead capital” for the Federal Government and billions of naira in untapped internally generated revenue (IGR) for states. The programme targets a 50% increase in formal land title registrations within the next decade, the deployment of interoperable Land Information Systems (LIS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the strengthening of state land agencies and registries.

Key objectives include securing land rights for individuals, communities, and businesses; unlocking land’s economic potential for credit, investment, and housing delivery; boosting state IGR through vibrant land markets and efficient property taxation; and improving urban planning.

Dangiwa stressed that the programme would be state-led, federally supported, and nationally coordinated, respecting the constitutional powers of states over land as outlined in the Land Use Act. He assured governors that states would retain full decision-making authority while benefiting from funding, technical assistance, and training from partners, including the World Bank.

The first phase will focus on 18–20 reform-ready states, with targets to issue over one million digital land titles and train more than 2,000 professionals.

It will also establish a National Land Information Repository and a harmonised governance structure to simplify processes, reduce transaction times, and improve transparency.

For citizens, the programme promises secure land titles, better access to credit, fewer disputes, and increased property values.

For states, it offers improved records, stronger revenue streams, enhanced investment opportunities, and better infrastructure planning — laying a foundation for sustainable housing, agriculture, and national economic growth.