When Henry E., a Nigerian living in the United States, signed up in 2019 for a subscription plan to acquire land in the Ibeju Lekki axis of Lagos, it seemed like a good opportunity.
A friend in Nigeria had introduced him to Heritage Park, a 300‑square‑metre plot scheme in Ashagun Village, promoted for its proximity to the Dangote Refinery.
Between 2019 and 2022, he paid about N1.2 million for two plots. But when he visited the site in 2022, the surroundings still looked largely rural.
By May 2025, he had completed all payments, including N580,000 in documentation fees for the two plots, a required step before allocation can begin. Yet months later, despite repeated emails, nothing has happened.
Speaking with Naijaonpoint, Henry said the experience has changed his outlook.
“I thought these plans were ideal because I live abroad,” he said.
“But after this, I’d rather just buy virgin land and build myself.”
His story reflects a growing wave of complaints on social media over delayed allocations and shifting promises in Lagos property schemes.
Henry’s land purchase at Heritage Park in Ibeju Lekki, run by PWAN Heritage, followed the usual process. Buyers first pay instalments into the company’s designated account. Once payments are complete, the buyer can proceed to the documentation phase, paying fees so that allocation can begin.
Living abroad, Henry completed this step by email. By May 2025, he had paid all instalments and an additional N580,000 in documentation fees for his two plots. Since then, despite repeated follow‑up emails, he has received no communication from the company.
Benjamin Eramen, the same friend who introduced him to the scheme in 2019, said he has chosen to wait and see how Henry’s case progresses before making further payments.
“I want to be sure Henry gets allocated since he has already completed everything, including documentation,” he said. Unlike Henry, Eramen has not yet paid the documentation fees, so his allocation has not started.
In addition to his land subscriptions, Henry signed up in 2020 for an off‑take arrangement to acquire a three‑bedroom flat at Lekki Pride 1, spreading about N38 to N40 million over 18 months, with delivery promised by the end of 2022. Midway through, the developer cited disruptions to construction caused by COVID‑19 and a sharp rise in building material costs.
These factors, though beyond buyers’ control, raised construction costs and, more importantly, delayed delivery beyond the contract timeline.
The company, Zylus Homes, assured subscribers that no extra payment was compulsory, although they welcomed voluntary contributions from those willing to help speed up construction.
Henry chose to stick with the original contract terms and made no additional contributions beyond the agreed amount.
Henry chose to stick with the original contract terms and made no additional contributions beyond the agreed amount.
He eventually received his apartment at the end of 2024 and went ahead to furnish the property himself, including installing wardrobes and other fittings. Despite the delay, he said he was satisfied overall and did not consider the company to have acted in bad faith.
Henry’s experience is not isolated. For another perspective, a woman who also invests in land spoke to Naijaonpoint on condition of anonymity and declined to mention the company involved. She explained that she had completed payments for several plots months ago but has yet to be allocated.
“Some companies do well, but others just keep people waiting even after full payment,” she said.
She added that, in addition to her own purchases, she helps clients manage property investments. One such case involves an off‑take deal for a N200 million residential building in Lekki, planned for delivery in 18 months. The contract had accounted for inflation, yet one year in, the developer demanded an additional N50 million.
“That was never part of the original terms,” she said.
“It has forced my client to slow down until we can resolve it. Mediation is ongoing, but these sudden changes leave people stranded.”
These accounts highlight a recurring trend in Lagos’ real estate market where some buyers who complete land payments face long waits for allocation, while off‑take housing projects such as apartments or duplexes often come with extended delivery timelines and unexpected cost adjustments.
Insights gathered by Naijaonpoint from professionals and insiders show that delays in both subscription land schemes and off‑take housing projects rarely come from one issue. Instead, they arise from a mix of poor planning, weak regulation, overselling, financing gaps and title disputes that create a chain of broken promises.
Babtunji Adegoke, a registered civil engineer and infrastructure strategist, noted that many off‑take developments fail even before they start because of how they are structured.
“Some developers enter the market just to collect funds and disappear, while others overpromise without proper studies or financing. Without professionals like engineers and project managers, timelines slip and subscribers pay the price,” he said.
According to Adegoke, weak regulation, the absence of strong legal consequences for developers who default, and poor land due diligence also play major roles in the cycle of failed delivery.
Temple Ugwu, Lead Partner and Portfolio Manager at Bluemeen Partners, explained that even developers who are not fraudulent can run into trouble because of how these projects are financed. Many firms secure large tracts of land from local landowners but pay for only a portion of it.
“Some firms pay for only part of the land they sign for. They sell more plots than they own, and when the community reclaims the unpaid portion, buyers are left stranded. This is why I insist on immediate allocation and advise clients to fence their land early,” he said.
He added that the cost of ferrying groups of buyers to these usually remote locations often means companies wait until several people have paid before organising an “allocation day,” a process that stretches timelines and creates more uncertainty.
An employee of a real estate company that sells land through subscription schemes in Ibeju Lekki, who asked to remain anonymous, said the issues are widespread.
“There are cases where developers unknowingly buy the same land multiple times because new owners appear with conflicting documents,” he said.
“Some also oversell, taking money from 300 buyers on land that can only take 100. When the error becomes obvious, they start asking clients to move elsewhere, but by then, trust is already broken.”
He also pointed to external factors, such as the recent realignment of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway and direct government takeovers after companies had already spent heavily on clearing and sand filling.
PWAN Heritage, developers of Heritage Park, told Naijaonpoint that the estate had been sold out years ago and that allocations were still ongoing.
A company administrator said some invited clients do not attend on allocation days and advised that anyone who has completed all requirements but has not yet been allocated should contact the office for verification.
Zylus Homes, developers of Lekki Pride 1, acknowledged the delivery delays but attributed them to factors beyond the company’s control. Group CEO Oluwatosin Olatujoye said the estate was launched when Zylus Homes was less than three years old and that the 18‑month delivery timeline set at the time “was an ambitious target that became a learning curve for us.”
He explained that COVID‑19 disruptions and rising building costs slowed progress and pushed up expenses. While other developers chose to refund subscribers (with deductions) or demand extra payments before resuming work, Zylus Homes took a different path.
“We continued construction, delivered the homes, and only after completion explained the financial impact to subscribers. We simply asked that anyone who could, and wished to, could voluntarily compensate the company. Whether or not clients contributed did not affect their ability to take possession,” Olatujoye said.
He added that all Lekki Pride 1 subscribers have now taken possession of their apartments and that the estate is fully occupied.