The Lagos State Government is ramping up its digital transformation drive in land governance with a two-day capacity-building programme aimed at equipping Land Officers with vital digital skills in land titling and documentation.

The initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Establishments and Training, gathers officials from land-related agencies across Lagos to embrace international best practices in digital documentation, regulatory compliance, and transparency in land administration.

Olubusola Abidakun, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishments and Training, says the programme responds to the growing complexities of managing land in a dynamic urban hub like Lagos, Africa’s most populous city.

Through the e-GIS portal, citizens can search, verify, and apply for land titles online, including securing the Governor’s Consent—a key step in land ownership. The digital platform replaces decades-old manual processes, helping to eliminate bottlenecks, reduce fraud, and ensure faster access to land services.

“Land titling and documentation are not just administrative formalities; they are essential instruments of economic empowerment, legal certainty, and public trust,” Abidakun tells participants at the training. “When land records are accurate and accessible, they provide a basis for investment, dispute resolution, and confidence in governance.”

The digital training, Abidakun says, supports the Lagos State Government’s ongoing reform agenda, which includes the rollout of the electronic Geographic Information System (e-GIS), a digital platform launched by Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, to streamline land-related transactions.

Through the e-GIS portal, citizens can search, verify, and apply for land titles online, including securing the Governor’s Consent—a key step in land ownership. The digital platform replaces decades-old manual processes, helping to eliminate bottlenecks, reduce fraud, and ensure faster access to land services.

Under the plan, officials from the Ministry of Housing, Lands Bureau, Lagos State Valuation Office, and Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure are being trained to align with the state’s digital land management strategy, which integrates historical land records dating as far back as the 1800s into a unified cadastral system.

Abidakun says the reform holds wider implications for Lagos, supporting goals in infrastructure development, urban planning, and economic growth. “This training underscores our commitment to a civil service that is tech-savvy, responsive, and future-ready,” she adds.

The Lagos State Government’s efforts signal a bold step toward building a transparent, digitally-driven land administration system that can foster investor confidence, reduce disputes, and enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria’s economic nerve centre, according to Abidakun.