Lagos Rolls Out Digital Property Addressing as Minister Flags Land Titling Gap

At an event in Victoria Island, Lagos, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu introduced the first phase of the state’s Identifier Project, a digital property addressing system designed to improve land management and accessibility

Under the initiative, every building in Lagos will be capped with a unique identifier: a physical plate displaying a QR code and a colour code specific to its local government area. The pilot phase, set to start next week in Ikeja, aims to streamline emergency response, enhance navigation for utility workers, and refine overall service delivery.

This system is not just cosmetic: scanning the QR code opens a portal to property-specific information, ownership details, utility data, building approvals, and more, reducing bureaucratic friction and improving transparency

At the same launch, Minister of Housing and Urban Development Ahmed Dangiwa highlighted a staggering statistic: approximately 97% of land in Nigeria lacks a formal title, making it difficult to use as collateral or fully capitalise on its economic potential. He indicated that the federal government plans to raise the proportion of formally titled land to 50% over the next decade, with states retaining administrative control but benefiting from smarter systems and global best practices.

Dr. Olajide Babatunde, Special Adviser on e-GIS and Urban Development, endorsed the Identifier as a landmark project one that could elevate infrastructure, boost revenue, and secure property administration across Lagos