Anambra Sets December 31 Deadline for Landowners to Update C of Os

The Anambra State Government has given landowners until December 31, 2026, to recertify their old Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os) or risk losing access to key land-related transactions through the Ministry of Lands.

The directive was contained in a public notice dated September 1, 2026, and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Anambra State Ministry of Lands, Mrs Nkeiru Mokwe.

The ministry said the existing land administration system would be shut down indefinitely after the December 31 deadline.

It explained that holders of old Certificates of Occupancy who fail to recertify their documents and have their records captured in the Anambra State Geographic Information System, ANAMGIS, will no longer be able to process certain transactions through the Ministry of Lands.

The ministry urged titleholders who have not yet started the recertification process to submit their applications without further delay.

According to the notice, holders of old C of Os are required to have their documents recertified and their records integrated into the ANAMGIS database before they can continue accessing the affected services under the state’s new land administration system.

The ministry stated that after the old system is shut down on December 31, holders of unrecertified C of Os would be unable to process transactions including mortgages, Deeds of Assignment, Certified True Copies and registration of Powers of Attorney through the Ministry of Lands.

The notice also affects other transactions that require processing through the ministry.

Only titleholders whose land records have been updated and captured in ANAMGIS will be able to carry out the affected transactions under the new system.

The recertification exercise is part of the state’s move to update existing land records and integrate them into its current digital land administration system.

Landowners with old Certificates of Occupancy who have not commenced the process are therefore expected to submit their applications before the December 31 deadline.

The ministry advised affected titleholders to complete the recertification process ahead of the deadline to protect their property interests and avoid difficulties when accessing land administration services.

The exercise specifically involves the recertification of existing Certificates of Occupancy and the capture of the associated land records in the ANAMGIS database.

Landowners who fail to complete the process will not be able to access the specified transactions through the Ministry of Lands once the old system is shut down.

However, the public notice does not state that an old Certificate of Occupancy will automatically become invalid after December 31.

Instead, the restriction concerns access to transactions that require processing through the Ministry of Lands under the old land administration system.

This means the December 31 deadline is primarily a requirement for landowners to update and integrate their existing records into the state’s current system, rather than an automatic cancellation of their Certificates of Occupancy.

The recertification exercise comes amid wider efforts to formalise land ownership and improve land records in Nigeria.

For landowners, updating existing documentation and ensuring that property records are properly captured in the state’s digital database can help facilitate future transactions involving their properties.

The Anambra Ministry of Lands has therefore encouraged holders of old C of Os who have yet to begin the recertification process to act before the December 31, 2026 deadline.

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