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  THE LEGALITIES OF LAND OWNERSHIP AND REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS IN NIGERIA Understanding land ownership laws, property rights, and real estate transactions in Nigeria can be quite stressful and difficult, given the diversity and differences in the Nigerian legal systems, historical factors, and modern developments. Below are some guides to understanding the key elements of real estate transactions in Nigeria. 1. Some Types of Land Ownership in Nigeria In Nigeria, land ownership is divided into systems: Customary Law : Land ownership is governed by traditional beliefs and family inheritance. Customary law applies in rural areas, where the local communities or villages own land, families and individuals acquire such ownership rights either through inheritance from ancestors, gift, or allocation by family head or community leaders. Statutory Law : Land ownership is governed by Nigerian statutory law applied in urban areas and follows a formal process. The law governing the allocation ...