November 1, 2026
November 1, 2026
How to Verify a Real Estate Agent in Nigeria Before You Buy
That smooth realtor with the glossy flyers and the "last two plots left" message could be holding your life savings by Friday. Before you buy land or a house, learn how to verify a real estate agent in Nigeria properly.
That smooth realtor with the glossy flyers and the "last two plots left" message could be holding your life savings by Friday. Before you buy land or a house, learn how to verify a real estate agent in Nigeria properly.
Buyers check the land but rarely the person selling it. Here is how to verify a real estate agent's identity, licence and authority before money moves.
The most dangerous document in a Nigerian property deal is not a forged C of O. It is a business card.
Buyers have learnt, often the hard way, to ask about the land: Is there a survey plan? Is it under acquisition? Has a search been done? But the person holding the documents, collecting the money and promising the allocation letter is usually trusted on charm, a branded polo shirt and an Instagram page full of "keys handed over" videos.
That is the gap fraudsters live in. This guide shows you how to verify a real estate agent in Nigeria before you buy land, a house or an off-plan unit: who regulates agents, the checks that expose a fake, and what to do if your money has already gone.
Renting rather than buying? Our guide on how to know if a house agent is legit in Nigeria is written for you.
Why You Must Verify a Real Estate Agent Before Buying
When you rent, a bad agent can cost you a year's rent. When you buy, a bad agent can cost you everything you have saved, and sometimes money borrowed from family.
The cases keep coming. In April 2026, an estate agent was arraigned in Ibadan for allegedly defrauding a prospective land buyer of ₦2.3 million. This year the EFCC also arrested an Abuja property agent over an alleged ₦288 million fraud, in which buyers reportedly paid for land and houses that were never delivered.
Regulators are tightening up. The Lagos State Government has declared it an offence to practise real estate in Lagos without registering with LASRERA, and has urged residents to check an agent's registration before any transaction. But regulation only protects you if you actually check.
How Fake Real Estate Agents Target Buyers
Most property fraud aimed at buyers follows a handful of scripts:
The phantom plot. Land that does not exist, belongs to someone else or is already sold, is "allocated" to several buyers.
The borrowed listing. A genuine estate is marketed by someone with no mandate from the developer. Your payment goes to them, not the company.
The real realtor, fake developer. Many realtors in Nigeria sell on commission for developers. The marketer may be sincere, but the company behind the estate may have no title, no approvals and no intention of building.
The diaspora remote deal. Buyers abroad are sent videos, scanned documents and a "site inspection" livestream, then asked to pay before anyone they trust has visited.
The switched account. Halfway through the deal, the agent says the company account has "changed" and sends new details.
Consider Ifeoma, a nurse in Houston (an illustrative example). A realtor on WhatsApp offers her a dry plot in Ibeju-Lekki at a "pre-launch" price, valid until Sunday. She asks for the developer's RC number and the agent's LASRERA registration, then sends her cousin to the developer's office. The office address turns out to be a shared co-working space where nobody has heard of the company. Ifeoma's ₦6 million stays in her account.
Who Regulates Real Estate Agents in Nigeria?
There is no single national licence for all real estate agents in Nigeria. In Lagos, the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) registers agents, developers and firms. Professionally qualified estate surveyors and valuers are registered by ESVARBON. Real estate businesses must also be registered companies with the CAC, and are expected to register with SCUML for anti-money-laundering purposes.
Here is what each check tells you:
Body | What it confirms | How to use it |
CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission) | The agency or developer is a legally registered business, with its directors on record | Search the company name and RC number on the CAC public search |
LASRERA (Lagos only) | The agent or firm is licensed to practise real estate in Lagos State | Ask for the certificate number and confirm it with LASRERA |
ESVARBON | The person is a registered estate surveyor and valuer | Ask for their registration details and confirm with ESVARBON or NIESV |
SCUML | The firm is registered under Nigeria's anti-money-laundering rules for real estate businesses | Ask to see the firm's SCUML certificate |
The EFCC has explained that SCUML registration helps monitor real estate operators so they are not used by money launderers. A serious firm will have it. Outside Lagos, most states have no dedicated licence for general agents, which makes the other checks in this guide even more important.
Red Flags of a Fake Real Estate Agent
They push a deadline: "price increases on Monday", "only two plots left".
They cannot give an RC number, or the RC number belongs to a different company.
In Lagos, they cannot produce a LASRERA registration you can confirm.
They discourage you from using your own lawyer or surveyor.
They want payment into a personal account, or the "company account" changes mid-deal.
They cannot show a letter of authority from the landowner or a marketing agreement with the developer.
The documents are only ever sent as photos or PDFs, never shown as originals.
The estate has no approved layout, building plan approval or visible activity on site.
Online, the agent's history is only a few weeks old, or their videos appear under other names.
The price is far below what similar plots in the area sell for.
How to Verify a Real Estate Agent in Nigeria: 7 Checks
1. Confirm the person
Get the agent's full legal name, phone number, office address and a valid government ID. Search their name and number online and look for history, reviews and complaints, not just listings. A genuine agent will not be offended by these questions.
2. Confirm the company and its directors
If the agent works for or represents a firm, confirm it on the CAC public search. Check that the name and RC number match the receipts and contracts you are given, and note who the directors are. Our guide on how to verify a company by RC number walks you through it.
3. Confirm the licence
In Lagos, ask for the agent's or firm's LASRERA certificate and confirm it with LASRERA directly. If the person introduces themselves as an estate surveyor, confirm their ESVARBON registration. Ask property firms for their SCUML certificate.
4. Confirm their authority to sell
This is the check most buyers skip. Ask for written proof that the agent is allowed to sell this specific property: a letter of authority from the landowner, a power of attorney, or a marketing agreement with the developer. Then call the owner or developer yourself, using contact details you found independently, not the ones the agent gave you.
5. Verify the property separately
A verified agent can still be selling a troubled property. Instruct your own lawyer to run a search at the state land registry (AGIS in Abuja), confirm the survey plan with a surveyor, and check that the land is not under government acquisition or family dispute. Visit the site, or send someone you trust.
6. Pay the right account, in stages
Pay only into a corporate account whose name matches the CAC-registered company or the verified owner. Confirm the account name in your banking app before you send anything, and confirm any "new" account details by phone with the company. Where possible, pay through your lawyer and tie payments to documents.
7. Keep a full paper trail
Collect a signed contract of sale, receipts for every payment, the allocation letter, and the deed of assignment once completed. Keep all chats and call logs. Paperwork you never received is a warning sign in itself.
Before-You-Pay Checklist
Question | Done? |
Have I seen the agent's ID and office in person (or through someone I trust)? | ☐ |
Does the company's RC number match on the CAC public search? | ☐ |
Have I confirmed LASRERA (Lagos) or ESVARBON registration directly? | ☐ |
Do I have written proof the agent can sell this property? | ☐ |
Has my own lawyer searched the title at the land registry? | ☐ |
Does the account name match the company or verified owner? | ☐ |
Where Profiled Nigeria Fits
Free checks are powerful, but they take time, and a confident fraudster can fake a lot. Profiled's business and vendor verification and background checks help you confirm whether an agent or property company is who it claims to be. iAMProfiled verifies identity, address, facial data, digital footprint and behavioural reliability, summarised in a PRODoT Score, so agents can prove their credibility and buyers can see it.
Land inspections often mean meeting strangers on empty plots far from town. SecureMeet supports verifying people before you meet them, with session records and trusted-contact location sharing, so someone always knows where you are. No tool makes a deal risk-free, but verification shines a light on the gaps.
What to Do If a Real Estate Agent Has Already Taken Your Money
Call your bank's fraud desk immediately and ask them to flag the receiving account.
Preserve evidence: receipts, contracts, chats, call logs, adverts and the agent's details.
Report to the police at your local division, or online through the NPF National Cybercrime Centre's e-reporting portal if the deal happened online.
Petition the EFCC, especially for large sums or several victims.
Report the developer or agent on the Federal Ministry of Housing's Housing Fraud Reporting Portal, which lets you submit evidence and track your case. Our article on the federal digital portal to combat housing fraud explains how it works.
Report to LASRERA if the transaction happened in Lagos, and speak to a lawyer about civil recovery.
Avoid anyone promising to "recover" your money for an upfront fee. Our guide on how to recover money from a scammer in Nigeria covers the legitimate routes. Being deceived is not a sign of foolishness; these people are professionals.
FAQ
How do I verify a real estate agent in Nigeria? Confirm the agent's identity and office, check the company on the CAC public search, and confirm any licence their state requires, such as LASRERA in Lagos or ESVARBON for estate surveyors. Then ask for written proof they can sell the property, have your lawyer search the title, and pay only into a matching corporate account.
Who regulates real estate agents in Nigeria? There is no single national regulator for all agents. In Lagos, LASRERA registers and licenses real estate practitioners. ESVARBON registers qualified estate surveyors and valuers nationwide. Real estate firms must also be registered with the CAC and are expected to register with SCUML under anti-money-laundering rules. Most other states have no dedicated agent licence yet.
Is LASRERA registration compulsory for real estate agents in Lagos? Yes. The Lagos State Government has declared it an offence to practise real estate in Lagos, whether as an agent, realtor or firm, without valid LASRERA registration. Ask any Lagos agent for their LASRERA certificate and confirm it with the authority directly before you sign or pay anything.
How do I know if a real estate company is genuine in Nigeria? Check its name and RC number on the CAC public search, confirm its directors, visit its office, and ask for its LASRERA (Lagos) and SCUML registration. Ask for evidence of title and approvals for the estate, look for completed projects you can visit, and search online for complaints. Genuine companies welcome these questions.
Can I safely buy land in Nigeria from abroad? Yes, if you never rely on the agent alone. Hire your own lawyer to search the title and handle payments, send someone you trust to inspect the site and the company's office, and pay only into a verified corporate account. Treat urgent "pre-launch" deadlines and remote-only deals as warning signs.
Conclusion
Property fraud in Nigeria rarely starts with a fake document. It starts with a trusted person. Before you buy, verify a real estate agent in Nigeria the way you would verify the land: confirm the person, the company, the licence and their authority to sell, then pay only into an account that matches.
Profiled Nigeria's identity verification, business and vendor checks and safer-meeting tools exist to make that process faster and clearer, so you can commit with evidence instead of hope. Learn more about Profiled Nigeria and our mission.
Remember: verify the seller before you verify the soil.
Verify before you commit. Create your free Profiled account today.
Buyers check the land but rarely the person selling it. Here is how to verify a real estate agent's identity, licence and authority before money moves.
The most dangerous document in a Nigerian property deal is not a forged C of O. It is a business card.
Buyers have learnt, often the hard way, to ask about the land: Is there a survey plan? Is it under acquisition? Has a search been done? But the person holding the documents, collecting the money and promising the allocation letter is usually trusted on charm, a branded polo shirt and an Instagram page full of "keys handed over" videos.
That is the gap fraudsters live in. This guide shows you how to verify a real estate agent in Nigeria before you buy land, a house or an off-plan unit: who regulates agents, the checks that expose a fake, and what to do if your money has already gone.
Renting rather than buying? Our guide on how to know if a house agent is legit in Nigeria is written for you.
Why You Must Verify a Real Estate Agent Before Buying
When you rent, a bad agent can cost you a year's rent. When you buy, a bad agent can cost you everything you have saved, and sometimes money borrowed from family.
The cases keep coming. In April 2026, an estate agent was arraigned in Ibadan for allegedly defrauding a prospective land buyer of ₦2.3 million. This year the EFCC also arrested an Abuja property agent over an alleged ₦288 million fraud, in which buyers reportedly paid for land and houses that were never delivered.
Regulators are tightening up. The Lagos State Government has declared it an offence to practise real estate in Lagos without registering with LASRERA, and has urged residents to check an agent's registration before any transaction. But regulation only protects you if you actually check.
How Fake Real Estate Agents Target Buyers
Most property fraud aimed at buyers follows a handful of scripts:
The phantom plot. Land that does not exist, belongs to someone else or is already sold, is "allocated" to several buyers.
The borrowed listing. A genuine estate is marketed by someone with no mandate from the developer. Your payment goes to them, not the company.
The real realtor, fake developer. Many realtors in Nigeria sell on commission for developers. The marketer may be sincere, but the company behind the estate may have no title, no approvals and no intention of building.
The diaspora remote deal. Buyers abroad are sent videos, scanned documents and a "site inspection" livestream, then asked to pay before anyone they trust has visited.
The switched account. Halfway through the deal, the agent says the company account has "changed" and sends new details.
Consider Ifeoma, a nurse in Houston (an illustrative example). A realtor on WhatsApp offers her a dry plot in Ibeju-Lekki at a "pre-launch" price, valid until Sunday. She asks for the developer's RC number and the agent's LASRERA registration, then sends her cousin to the developer's office. The office address turns out to be a shared co-working space where nobody has heard of the company. Ifeoma's ₦6 million stays in her account.
Who Regulates Real Estate Agents in Nigeria?
There is no single national licence for all real estate agents in Nigeria. In Lagos, the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) registers agents, developers and firms. Professionally qualified estate surveyors and valuers are registered by ESVARBON. Real estate businesses must also be registered companies with the CAC, and are expected to register with SCUML for anti-money-laundering purposes.
Here is what each check tells you:
Body | What it confirms | How to use it |
CAC (Corporate Affairs Commission) | The agency or developer is a legally registered business, with its directors on record | Search the company name and RC number on the CAC public search |
LASRERA (Lagos only) | The agent or firm is licensed to practise real estate in Lagos State | Ask for the certificate number and confirm it with LASRERA |
ESVARBON | The person is a registered estate surveyor and valuer | Ask for their registration details and confirm with ESVARBON or NIESV |
SCUML | The firm is registered under Nigeria's anti-money-laundering rules for real estate businesses | Ask to see the firm's SCUML certificate |
The EFCC has explained that SCUML registration helps monitor real estate operators so they are not used by money launderers. A serious firm will have it. Outside Lagos, most states have no dedicated licence for general agents, which makes the other checks in this guide even more important.
Red Flags of a Fake Real Estate Agent
They push a deadline: "price increases on Monday", "only two plots left".
They cannot give an RC number, or the RC number belongs to a different company.
In Lagos, they cannot produce a LASRERA registration you can confirm.
They discourage you from using your own lawyer or surveyor.
They want payment into a personal account, or the "company account" changes mid-deal.
They cannot show a letter of authority from the landowner or a marketing agreement with the developer.
The documents are only ever sent as photos or PDFs, never shown as originals.
The estate has no approved layout, building plan approval or visible activity on site.
Online, the agent's history is only a few weeks old, or their videos appear under other names.
The price is far below what similar plots in the area sell for.
How to Verify a Real Estate Agent in Nigeria: 7 Checks
1. Confirm the person
Get the agent's full legal name, phone number, office address and a valid government ID. Search their name and number online and look for history, reviews and complaints, not just listings. A genuine agent will not be offended by these questions.
2. Confirm the company and its directors
If the agent works for or represents a firm, confirm it on the CAC public search. Check that the name and RC number match the receipts and contracts you are given, and note who the directors are. Our guide on how to verify a company by RC number walks you through it.
3. Confirm the licence
In Lagos, ask for the agent's or firm's LASRERA certificate and confirm it with LASRERA directly. If the person introduces themselves as an estate surveyor, confirm their ESVARBON registration. Ask property firms for their SCUML certificate.
4. Confirm their authority to sell
This is the check most buyers skip. Ask for written proof that the agent is allowed to sell this specific property: a letter of authority from the landowner, a power of attorney, or a marketing agreement with the developer. Then call the owner or developer yourself, using contact details you found independently, not the ones the agent gave you.
5. Verify the property separately
A verified agent can still be selling a troubled property. Instruct your own lawyer to run a search at the state land registry (AGIS in Abuja), confirm the survey plan with a surveyor, and check that the land is not under government acquisition or family dispute. Visit the site, or send someone you trust.
6. Pay the right account, in stages
Pay only into a corporate account whose name matches the CAC-registered company or the verified owner. Confirm the account name in your banking app before you send anything, and confirm any "new" account details by phone with the company. Where possible, pay through your lawyer and tie payments to documents.
7. Keep a full paper trail
Collect a signed contract of sale, receipts for every payment, the allocation letter, and the deed of assignment once completed. Keep all chats and call logs. Paperwork you never received is a warning sign in itself.
Before-You-Pay Checklist
Question | Done? |
Have I seen the agent's ID and office in person (or through someone I trust)? | ☐ |
Does the company's RC number match on the CAC public search? | ☐ |
Have I confirmed LASRERA (Lagos) or ESVARBON registration directly? | ☐ |
Do I have written proof the agent can sell this property? | ☐ |
Has my own lawyer searched the title at the land registry? | ☐ |
Does the account name match the company or verified owner? | ☐ |
Where Profiled Nigeria Fits
Free checks are powerful, but they take time, and a confident fraudster can fake a lot. Profiled's business and vendor verification and background checks help you confirm whether an agent or property company is who it claims to be. iAMProfiled verifies identity, address, facial data, digital footprint and behavioural reliability, summarised in a PRODoT Score, so agents can prove their credibility and buyers can see it.
Land inspections often mean meeting strangers on empty plots far from town. SecureMeet supports verifying people before you meet them, with session records and trusted-contact location sharing, so someone always knows where you are. No tool makes a deal risk-free, but verification shines a light on the gaps.
What to Do If a Real Estate Agent Has Already Taken Your Money
Call your bank's fraud desk immediately and ask them to flag the receiving account.
Preserve evidence: receipts, contracts, chats, call logs, adverts and the agent's details.
Report to the police at your local division, or online through the NPF National Cybercrime Centre's e-reporting portal if the deal happened online.
Petition the EFCC, especially for large sums or several victims.
Report the developer or agent on the Federal Ministry of Housing's Housing Fraud Reporting Portal, which lets you submit evidence and track your case. Our article on the federal digital portal to combat housing fraud explains how it works.
Report to LASRERA if the transaction happened in Lagos, and speak to a lawyer about civil recovery.
Avoid anyone promising to "recover" your money for an upfront fee. Our guide on how to recover money from a scammer in Nigeria covers the legitimate routes. Being deceived is not a sign of foolishness; these people are professionals.
FAQ
How do I verify a real estate agent in Nigeria? Confirm the agent's identity and office, check the company on the CAC public search, and confirm any licence their state requires, such as LASRERA in Lagos or ESVARBON for estate surveyors. Then ask for written proof they can sell the property, have your lawyer search the title, and pay only into a matching corporate account.
Who regulates real estate agents in Nigeria? There is no single national regulator for all agents. In Lagos, LASRERA registers and licenses real estate practitioners. ESVARBON registers qualified estate surveyors and valuers nationwide. Real estate firms must also be registered with the CAC and are expected to register with SCUML under anti-money-laundering rules. Most other states have no dedicated agent licence yet.
Is LASRERA registration compulsory for real estate agents in Lagos? Yes. The Lagos State Government has declared it an offence to practise real estate in Lagos, whether as an agent, realtor or firm, without valid LASRERA registration. Ask any Lagos agent for their LASRERA certificate and confirm it with the authority directly before you sign or pay anything.
How do I know if a real estate company is genuine in Nigeria? Check its name and RC number on the CAC public search, confirm its directors, visit its office, and ask for its LASRERA (Lagos) and SCUML registration. Ask for evidence of title and approvals for the estate, look for completed projects you can visit, and search online for complaints. Genuine companies welcome these questions.
Can I safely buy land in Nigeria from abroad? Yes, if you never rely on the agent alone. Hire your own lawyer to search the title and handle payments, send someone you trust to inspect the site and the company's office, and pay only into a verified corporate account. Treat urgent "pre-launch" deadlines and remote-only deals as warning signs.
Conclusion
Property fraud in Nigeria rarely starts with a fake document. It starts with a trusted person. Before you buy, verify a real estate agent in Nigeria the way you would verify the land: confirm the person, the company, the licence and their authority to sell, then pay only into an account that matches.
Profiled Nigeria's identity verification, business and vendor checks and safer-meeting tools exist to make that process faster and clearer, so you can commit with evidence instead of hope. Learn more about Profiled Nigeria and our mission.
Remember: verify the seller before you verify the soil.
Verify before you commit. Create your free Profiled account today.
