Challenges and Prospects Associated with Paradigm Shift in Land Administration and Surveying among Private Practitioners in Nigeria

Abstract

The quest for land administration that is efficient and fit-for-purpose has brought about the paradigm shift in land administration in Nigeria. This paradigm shift has led to the introduction of modern approaches of land administration that every land-related profession should key into. This paper thus assesses the challenges and prospects associated with paradigm shift in land administration and surveying among private practitioners in Nigeria. The qualitative method of analysis based on review of literature was applied in this paper. The findings reveal that Nigeria’s Government has been taking steps towards a shift from sporadic method of land registration to systematic land titling and registration. This paper concludes that Nigeria as a nation is gradually moving towards the new trend in land surveying through initiation and piloting of Systematic Land Titling and Registration (SLTR) in some of the Nigeria’s states. Any practicing surveyor that will be relevant in this growing present dispensation in land administration should reposition his/herself through improvement of knowledge in modern techniques of land administration with reference to land surveying. This paper thus recommends regular training and retraining on modern surveying methods for private surveyors; and organization of workshops on applicability of modern survey techniques for their members.