FG partners UK agency CAAV to review compensation rates for public land acquisition in NIgeria 

This collaboration aims to modernize the outdated compensation framework, with a focus on crops and economic trees, which has been in place since 2008.

The announcement, contained in a statement on the official Ministry’s website, was made during the Knowledge Exchange Programme held in London on September 15, 2024.

The Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Abdullahi Tijani Gwarzo, highlighted the significance of the partnership, emphasizing that it is part of Nigeria’s broader efforts to reform land governance and ensure that compensation rates align with global best practices while remaining sustainable for the future.

“The Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has begun a landmark partnership with the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV), a renowned UK-based professional body specializing in agricultural and rural valuation.

“The collaboration aims to leverage the expertise, knowledge and experience of CAAV towards finalizing the long overdue review and update of methodologies for compensation rates for public land acquisition in Nigeria, with a focus on crops and economic trees,” the statement read in part. 

The collaboration with CAAV is expected to provide Nigeria with the tools needed to establish a real-time, scientifically grounded compensation framework.

The project is led by the National Technical Development Forum (NTDF) on Land Administration and aims to create a national repository of reference rates for compensating crops and economic trees affected by public land acquisitions.

Minister Gwarzo also acknowledged the challenges in implementing the Land Use Act of 1978, which governs compulsory land acquisition and compensation for affected landowners.

The statement emphasized the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s land acquisition processes are fair, transparent, and aligned with international standards.