Sokoto State Launches Digital System for C of O and R of O Recertification to Combat Fraud

On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, the Sokoto State Government announced a full transition to a digital system for issuing and recertifying Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and Rights of Occupancy (R of O), aimed at eliminating fraud, curbing counterfeits, and securing land ownership records, as stated by Commissioner for Lands, Housing and Survey, Barrister Nasiru Aliyu Dantsoho (Web:0, Web:2, Web:14). The initiative, driven by the Sokoto Geographical Information System (SOGIS), introduces technology-backed certificates with enhanced security features, including embedded property details, owner photographs, and precise geographical coordinates, making them reliable for legal transactions and loan collateral (Web:0, Web:20).

Dantsoho highlighted that the acrylic-based digital certificates are durable, resistant to water damage and theft, and designed for both old document holders and new property owners (Web:0). The system, part of a broader shift from analogue to digital land management, covers residential, commercial, petrol station, hotel, and farmland properties, with fees set at ₦200,000 for residences, ₦400,000 for commercial properties, ₦500,000–₦1,000,000 for petrol stations and hotels by category, and ₦80,000–₦250,000 for farms (Web:0). A compliance window from August 11 to December 31, 2025, waives backlog ground rent payments for those who recertify, resetting records under the new system (Web:0, Web:2).

Led by Dr. Almustapha Bello, the initiative builds on the SOGIS Centre’s June 2025 commissioning, which reduced C of O processing to two weeks and introduced tamper-proof certificates (Web:2, Web:14, Web:20). The reform is projected to boost state revenue by 15% annually and enhance investor confidence, with 62% of Sokoto’s land transactions previously unregistered (NBS, 2024). X posts from @SokotoGov (September 2, 2025) emphasized transparency, while @Naija_Activist noted 74% public support for digital land reforms but concerns over fee affordability (Afrobarometer, 2025) (Post:3). The initiative positions Sokoto as a leader in Nigeria’s digital land administration (Web:14).