A REVIEW OF THE NIGERIAN LAND USE ACT OF 1978

¹Adamu, S.J. and ²Kawuwa, A.S

¹Department of Geography, Gombe State University, Tudun Wada Gombe, Gombe State, Nigeria.

²Architecture Programme, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria.

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ABSTRACT

Housing provision as a requirement comes after food in order of priority before clothing. Nigeria is a signatory to United Nation’s declaration for “Housing for All by the Year 2000”, and effective Housing in the 21^st century in Nigeria was not pursued with tenacity of purpose to realistic ends as in other developed countries due to enormous administrative and bureaucratic problems such as lack of access to land for development. This paper reviewed the 1978 Land Use Act which provided the basis for Land administration in Nigeria. It discovered the powers given to the Governors and other approving bodies’ serves as a major obstacle to land access for developmental purpose. It went further to recommend the provision of adequate laws to make sure that revocation and compensation are done in compliance with the regulation as well as law that will allow for alienation and surrender of Right of Occupancy without the consent of the Governor. It concluded that Government should administer land for the benefit of its citizens and not political reasons which will help in realizing the dream of a common man in having a house of his own in Nigeria.