Abstract

We have watched over the decades the problems encountered in acquisition of land and subsequently in obtaining the approval of certificate of occupancy and housing delivery in Nigeria. In the commencement of the Land Use Act 1978, it was stated that “whereas it is in the public interest that the rights of all Nigerians to the land of Nigeria be asserted and preserved by law”. Our concern is not really another criticism against the Act but an in-depth evaluation of how it has achieved its aim if any in the mass provision of housing to the people. That is, where lays the hope of the masses in the current wave of high cost of acquisition of land? It should be noted that one of the cogent reasons why the Act came into existence was because of the nature of trusteeship of land in the past; it was difficult for just anyone to get access to land. Could we now say it is very easy for just anyone to get access to land? Therefore, this research paper critically re-examined in-depth the motives behind the act vis-à-vis the present realities and the implication on housing provision; evaluate the achievements realized so far in terms of implementation since the promulgation of the act and ways to facilitate and sustain housing delivery; and review the areas of bottlenecks and suggest possible ways of ameliorating the identified problems.

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