Land scams
| Scam | How it works | Your defence |
|---|---|---|
| Forged C of O or survey | Fake documents for land the seller doesn’t own. | Lawyer’s search at the Lands Registry and charting at the Surveyor-General, before payment. |
| Double (or triple) sales | The same plot sold to several buyers abroad. | Search, physical inspection, and registering your deed quickly. |
| Land under acquisition | Plot sits in government-acquired land and can be taken back. | Survey charting shows acquisition status. |
| “Omo onile” fees | Family claimants demand money at every stage. | Buy only excised and gazetted family land; agree all fees in writing upfront. |
Building scams
| Scam | How it works | Your defence |
|---|---|---|
| Diverted funds | Money sent to a relative or foreman is spent elsewhere. | Pay a registered company, per stage, against an inspection report. |
| Padded costs | Inflated quantities or prices for cement, rebar and blocks. | Open-book BOQ you can check line by line against market prices. |
| Inferior materials | 9-inch blocks with too little cement, under-sized rebar. | Inspection at every stage by a qualified inspector; cube tests for concrete. |
| Recycled progress photos | Photos or videos from another site. | Live site camera, dated photo reports, and a video call walking the site. |
| Front-loaded payments | Contractor asks for most of the money upfront, then stalls. | Stage payments sized to each stage’s cost, never ahead of work. |
| Abandoned project | Work stops when the money runs out or the builder moves on. | Written contract, defined stages, retention, and a company you can hold to account. |
How your money is protected
How a well-run build stops these scams
Each layer catches what the one before might miss. Together they mean you never pay for work you haven’t seen.
Your money
Stage payments
You pay for one stage at a time, never ahead of the work.
Inspection
Every stage is checked before you pay: by our team, an independent firm, or your own inspector.
Open-book BOQ
Every bag of cement and tonne of rebar itemised, so you can compare with market prices.
Insurance
Contractor’s all-risk cover with a NAICOM-licensed insurer you choose, in your name.
Written contract
Scope, payments, changes and disputes agreed in writing before work starts.
Your site
Payment and online scams
- Changed bank details. An email or WhatsApp “from your builder” with a new account. Always confirm by phone with someone you know.
- Fake developer websites and off-plan schemes with no land title or building approval. Ask for both before paying anything.
- Impersonation of real firms. Check the company’s CAC number (ours is RC 1484495) and call the number on its official website.
The five rules that stop almost all of them
- Verify the land title through a lawyer before you pay for land.
- Contract with a registered company, not an individual.
- Get an itemised, open-book BOQ and compare it with market prices.
- Pay in stages, each released only after the stage has been inspected and documented.
- See the site for yourself: live camera, dated reports, and a visit or trusted professional on key stages.
These rules are how we run every project. See how we build and building from abroad.
Questions people ask
How do I avoid being scammed when building in Nigeria from abroad?
Verify land title through a lawyer, contract with a registered company, insist on an itemised BOQ, pay only in inspected stages, and watch the site through a live camera and dated reports.
How can I check a building company in Nigeria is genuine?
Search its name and RC number on the CAC public search, check its engineers on the COREN register, visit or video-call a finished project, and speak to past clients.
Should I send building money to a family member?
It is the most common way diaspora money goes missing. Pay a registered company against inspected stages instead, and let family visit as extra eyes, not as paymasters.