How excision and gazetting work in Lagos
When a state acquires a large area, the villages and families living there often ask for their settlements and farmland to be released. If the government agrees, it excises that area from the acquisition.
The usual stages in Lagos:
- The community applies for excision.
- The government approves the excision of a defined area.
- The approved area is published in the official gazette, with a gazette number, the date and a schedule of the land released.
- The community, now holding the excised land, can sell plots. Buyers then apply for a C of O or for consent to their purchase.
Approval and gazetting can be years apart. In the Eputu villages of Ibeju-Lekki, for example, the excision was approved long before the state moved to issue titles over part of the area. Until gazetting, the land is still legally acquired.
What excision is not. Excision releases land to a community; it is not a title for an individual buyer. A buyer who stops at "the land is excised" has not yet secured anything in their own name.
Differences by state
- Lagos: most common in Lekki–Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu and Badagry, where large global acquisitions sit beside old villages.
- Ogun: excision is also used, especially in border areas; procedures are less documented.
What to check
- The gazette number and date, and a copy of the gazette itself.
- That your plot falls inside the gazetted boundary, by charting the survey.
- That the community or family selling has authority to sell that part.
- A plan to perfect your own title after purchase.
Red flags
- "Excision in process": the land is still under acquisition.
- No gazette number, or a gazette that covers a different village.
- Plots sold just outside the gazetted boundary.
- Several family factions each selling the same excised land.
Excision vs Gazette
| Aspect | Excision | Gazette |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The release of acquired land | The official publication recording it |
| Who benefits | The community or family | Evidence for everyone |
| Is it a personal title? | No | No |
| Next step for a buyer | Buy and perfect title | Check the plot is inside the schedule |
Find property
Questions
What does excision mean in land?
It means the government has released part of its acquired land back to the original community, so it can be sold and titled privately.
Is excision land safe to buy?
It can be, if the excision is gazetted, your plot is inside the gazetted area and you perfect your own title. Excision alone is not your title.
What is the difference between excision and gazette?
Excision is the release of the land; the gazette is the official publication that records it, with a number and date.
What is the difference between C of O, excision and gazette?
Excision and gazette show land was released to a community. A C of O is an individual title. Buyers of excised land still need their own C of O or consent.
Related terms
Sources
- 1. Eputu villages and excision in Ibeju-Lekki Radio Nigeria Lagos · checked 13 October 2026
- 2. Development guides for excised villages in Lagos The Guardian Nigeria · checked 13 October 2026
- 3. Complete guide to buying land in Lagos State: a practical FAQ guide Mondaq · checked 13 October 2026
- 4. Land Use Act 1978 (Cap L5 LFN 2004) Federal Republic of Nigeria (via PLAC Laws of Nigeria) · checked 13 October 2026
Cite this definition
"Excision", Nigeria Property Centre Property Glossary, last checked 13 October 2026, https://nigeriapropertycentre.com/glossary/excision
You may reuse this definition under CC BY 4.0 with credit to Nigeria Property Centre and a link to this page.
Something wrong or out of date?
Thanks, we'll check this.
You've sent several reports already. Please try again later.