This development was announced by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing commemorating the second year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term.

One of the proposed laws seeks to establish a Lis Pendens Registry—a public database for documenting all ongoing litigations involving land matters. According to the Attorney-General, this initiative is designed to enhance transparency in property transactions and protect buyers from unknowingly acquiring land under legal dispute.

The second bill focuses on marriage-related procedures, proposing the creation of a Marriage and Dissolution Registry. The registry would serve as a centralized system for recording all types of marriages conducted in the state and for issuing valid, legally recognized certificates.

“These reforms aim to bring clarity and order to two key aspects of civic life: property ownership and marital documentation,” Pedro stated.

The justice ministry has also submitted a draft amendment to the state’s 2016 Tenancy Law. The proposed changes are expected to tackle exploitative practices in the rental sector, including arbitrary rent increases and the prolonged resolution of tenancy disputes.

Pedro emphasized the need for reform in Lagos’s booming real estate sector: “It is necessary to rein in predatory practices in the rental market. The amendment will offer stronger protections for both tenants and landlords while improving dispute resolution mechanisms.”

Additionally, the ministry has finalized a harmonized bill to consolidate existing laws on sexual and domestic violence into a single, robust legislative framework. The goal is to improve the legal response to abuse and harmful practices by streamlining enforcement protocols.

As part of ongoing criminal justice reform, Pedro disclosed that the Lagos Criminal Information System (LCIS) has been launched to digitize the handling of criminal cases across magistrates’ and high courts in the state. The new system is expected to improve tracking, reduce case delays, and support more efficient case management.

On the issue of prison congestion, the commissioner reported that the state’s correctional facilities currently house 9,096 inmates—over 100 percent of their intended capacity. He acknowledged the challenge of overcrowding but expressed optimism that structural reforms and improved case processing would help reverse the trend.

Crime data presented by the ministry identified Ikeja, Lagos Island, and Lekki as the top three areas with the highest reported incidents.

The Attorney-General also highlighted the wide reach of the ministry, which operates through several departments and agencies such as the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Citizens’ Mediation Centre, Law Reform Commission, and the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.

“Justice is the foundation of a stable and equitable society,” Pedro concluded. “When laws are clear and effectively enforced, we create an environment that fosters growth, safety, and public trust.”

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Agbakoba, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, said reforming land titling and linking property to the financial system would convert untapped assets into bankable capital, enabling citizens to use property as collateral for loans.

He made the recommendation in a recent report by his firm titled “OAL Governance and Economic Analysis and Forecast 2025: Nigeria Can Succeed Rather Than Fail – Innovation and Efficiency to Create a N500 Trillion Budget for 2026; Implications for the Moving Parts in a New World Trade Order.”

According to him, more than 80 per cent of Nigeria’s estimated $6 trillion in property assets are classified as dead capital—assets that cannot generate income or be used to access credit due to lack of proper titling.

“The Land Use Act was designed to create a framework for land titles, but the system has become clogged. As it stands, land cannot efficiently serve as collateral, which limits access to finance and stifles economic activity,” Agbakoba said.

He proposed the enactment of a Land Use Administration Act, which would simplify the consent process and make land transactions more efficient and credible in the eyes of financial institutions.

Key components of the reform would include:

Digitisation of land registries to build a comprehensive national database of property ownership
Streamlining property registration procedures to reduce bureaucratic delays and costs
Establishing strong legal frameworks for protecting property rights
Incentivising banks and lenders to offer credit against land collateral, particularly for SMEs and low-income property owners
Adopting technology such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and blockchain to enhance transparency and security in land transactions
Agbakoba noted that empowering informal settlements through urban planning and infrastructure development could also transform undervalued properties into productive economic assets.

“By addressing our institutional challenges with courage and determination, we can unlock our nation’s full potential. It’s time to make Nigeria and Africa great again,” he said.

The report further outlines a path for Nigeria to achieve a N500 trillion budget by 2026, through bold governance reforms, innovation, and efficient economic strategies—positioning the country for leadership in the evolving global trade order.

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