The Nigerian government has the power to acquire private property for public use, but how that power is exercised is often contested. Acquisitions for urban expansion can undermine security of tenure, and when little or no compensation is paid, families lose out.
The acquisition and management of state land has left several unresolved problems, including:
- Land acquired far in excess of what the project actually needed
- Compensation that was never paid
- Encroachment on acquired land
- Compensation that did not reach every generation of the family
- Acquired land used for something other than its stated purpose
- Private sector development of compulsorily acquired land
We work with families to document their claim and pursue the return of their land or fair compensation.