From Moshood Karim
Property owners across six designated government layouts in Benin City have been directed to present themselves for a mandatory verification and recertification of land documents, according to an official announcement by the Edo State Government.
This initiative, spearheaded by the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo, is part of an ongoing effort to streamline land documentation and transition to the state’s digital Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) system.
In a public statement signed by Dr Tony Ikpasaja, Managing Director of the Edo State Geographic Information Service (EDOGIS), the government disclosed that the exercise will run from Thursday, 1st May to Friday, 30th May, 2025. The venue for the entire exercise is the EDOGIS headquarters, located at Plot 102, Sapele Road, Benin City.
The layouts affected by this directive include Etete Government Layout, Iyekogba Housing Estate, Evbuoriaria Layout, Ikpoba River Dam Acquisition, Oka-Oseni/Egba/Okanaruovia, and Evbuodia Acquisition.
Both individual landowners and corporate entities in possession of old C of O documents are urged to take advantage of this window to obtain the new, more secure digital C of O.
Authorities have warned that non-compliance may result in complications related to land rights and documentation in the future.