Every year, thousands of Nigerians fall victim to property fraud — losing life savings, court battles, and sometimes even their sanity trying to recover money paid to fraudulent or incompetent real estate agents. The Nigerian property market, valued at over $3.3 trillion USD according to industry estimates, is one of the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, yet it remains largely unregulated at the street level. Scammers operate with relative impunity, and legitimate agents often lack the professional standards that buyers deserve.
Before you sign any tenancy agreement, purchase receipt, deed of assignment, or agency contract — you must verify your agent. This guide walks you through exactly how to do that in Nigeria, step by step.
Why Verification Matters in Nigeria
Property fraud in Nigeria takes many forms: agents who collect agency fees and disappear, properties listed for sale by people who don’t own them, documents forged to look like legitimate titles, and double sales where the same property is sold to multiple buyers simultaneously.
The Nigerian Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reports that real estate-related fraud accounts for billions of naira in losses annually, with a significant portion involving unregistered or fraudulent agents.
Unlike in the United Kingdom, Canada, or the United States — where real estate agents must pass licensing exams and renew their licences annually — Nigeria has only recently begun to formalise its regulatory framework. As a buyer, tenant, or investor, you cannot assume that a business card, a social media presence, or even a physical office automatically makes an agent legitimate.
The good news is that verification is possible, and it has never been easier. Here is exactly how to do it.
LASRERA — The Gold Standard for Lagos Agents
If your transaction involves property in Lagos State, your first port of call should be the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA). Established under the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority Law of 2021, LASRERA is responsible for:
- Registering and licencing all real estate practitioners operating in Lagos State
- Regulating the conduct of estate agents, property managers, and developers
- Investigating complaints against registered practitioners
- Prosecuting unregistered persons offering real estate services for profit
Every legitimate real estate agent or company operating in Lagos should hold a valid LASRERA licence. You can verify an agent’s registration in the following ways:
- Visit lasrera.lagosstate.gov.ng and use the verification portal to search by agent name or company name
- Call the LASRERA helpline directly to confirm registration status
- Ask the agent to produce their physical LASRERA licence certificate — a legitimate agent will not hesitate to do so
LASRERA also operates a sanctions register. If an agent has been disciplined, suspended, or deregistered, that record will appear in the system. Always check, even if an agent shows you an old licence certificate.
ESVARBON — Regulatory Body for Other States
Outside Lagos, the primary regulatory body is ESVARBON — the Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria. ESVARBON operates under the NIESV (Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers) framework and covers practitioners across all 36 states and the FCT.
While ESVARBON’s primary mandate covers estate surveyors and valuers (including property valuations), many full-service real estate agents in states like Abuja, Rivers, Ogun, and Oyo also register with ESVARBON or with state chapters of NIESV.
To verify an agent’s standing with ESVARBON, you can:
- Visit the NIESV website and search the members’ directory
- Contact the relevant state chapter of NIESV for the state where your property is located
- Ask the agent to provide their ESVARBON registration number
Note that not all legitimate agents are registered with ESVARBON — especially residential letting agents and property managers in states outside Lagos. In such cases, other verification steps become even more critical.
7 Specific Steps to Verify a Nigerian Real Estate Agent
Step 1 — Check Their Regulatory Registration
As outlined above, check LASRERA (Lagos) or NIESV/ESVARBON (other states). Ask directly for their registration number and verify it independently. A legitimate agent will welcome this step — it protects both of you.
Step 2 — Run a Thorough Google Search
Search the agent’s full name, company name, and phone number. Look for:
- News articles, forum threads, or social media posts mentioning fraud, complaints, or disputes
- Nairaland property forum threads — one of Nigeria’s most active real estate communities
- Google Maps reviews for their stated office address
- Any mismatch between their claimed history and what appears online
Also search their phone number in reverse — multiple listings under different names using the same number is a significant red flag.
Step 3 — Request References from Past Clients
Ask the agent for two to three references from clients they have successfully assisted in the past 12 months. Any professional agent with a real track record will have these available. When you speak to references, ask:
- Did the agent deliver on their promises and timeline?
- Were there any surprises or hidden charges?
- Would you use this agent again?
- Did the agent hold all documentation before money changed hands?
Be cautious of agents who only provide references that are friends or family members. Ask for clients from specific transactions, not just general character references.
Step 4 — Visit Their Physical Office
A legitimate real estate agent operating professionally in Nigeria should have a verifiable physical address. Before any financial transaction, visit the office in person. Confirm:
- The office is actually occupied and operational
- The agent’s name appears on signage, letterheads, or correspondence
- There are genuine file cabinets, property listings, and business infrastructure — not just a borrowed desk in a co-working space
- Staff members know the agent and can confirm they work there
Do not accept a residential address as a primary business address unless the agent is clearly a registered sole proprietor operating from a home office and can demonstrate this with business registration documents.
Step 5 — Verify SCUML Compliance
The Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML), under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, requires all Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) to register — and this includes real estate agents and developers.
A SCUML-registered agent has undergone a measure of financial due diligence and is required to comply with anti-money laundering regulations. Ask to see the agent’s SCUML certificate of registration. Any agent involved in property transactions above ₦5 million should have this.
Step 6 — Search for Court Judgements or Pending Cases
This step takes more effort but can be decisive. You can:
- Conduct a search at the High Court registry in the state where the agent operates
- Ask a solicitor to run a litigation search on the agent’s company name
- Search the Land Use Act registry and land registry for any caveats or injunctions linked to properties the agent has handled
An agent with multiple court cases — especially for fraud, breach of contract, or misrepresentation — is a serious liability regardless of their current licence status.
Step 7 — Check Their Reviews on RateMyAgentNaija
Regulatory checks tell you whether an agent is registered. Reviews tell you whether they are good at their job and trustworthy in practice. Search for your agent on RateMyAgentNaija to read verified reviews from past clients. Unlike Google or social media, RateMyAgentNaija is specifically designed for the Nigerian property market — every review relates to a real estate transaction, not a general service experience.
If your agent does not appear in our directory, learn how our platform works and consider whether their absence from a verified review platform is itself a concern.
Red Flags You Should Never Ignore
Even before completing the verification steps above, certain agent behaviours should trigger immediate caution:
No Fixed Office Address
Agents who conduct all business from WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, or car parks — and cannot produce a verifiable office address — are operating outside professional norms. This does not automatically mean fraud, but it removes accountability.
Demanding Upfront Payment Before Property Viewing
A legitimate agent in Nigeria may charge an inspection fee for organised viewings (typically ₦5,000–₦20,000 depending on the property), but this fee should be modest, receipted, and refundable or deductible from agency fees if you proceed. Any agent demanding large deposits or full agency fees before you have physically inspected and confirmed the property should be treated with extreme suspicion.
Pressure Tactics and Artificial Urgency
“Another buyer is coming tomorrow.” “The landlord will remove it from the market this afternoon.” “Pay now and inspect later.” These are classic pressure tactics used to prevent you from conducting proper due diligence. A genuine property deal can withstand 48–72 hours of due diligence. If an agent cannot give you that time, walk away.
Unable to Produce Documentation on Demand
A legitimate agent representing a vendor or landlord should be able to produce — at a minimum — a copy of the title document, the owner’s ID, and their own agency agreement with the property owner. If any of these are unavailable, incomplete, or “being processed,” do not pay any money.
How RateMyAgentNaija Helps Protect You
RateMyAgentNaija exists precisely because verification alone is not enough. An agent can be registered with LASRERA and still provide terrible service, overcharge clients, or disappear after collecting fees. Regulatory bodies investigate formal complaints — they do not proactively monitor day-to-day agent conduct.
Our platform gives you access to:
- Verified reviews from real buyers, sellers, landlords, and tenants who have worked with specific agents
- Agent profiles that include specialisations, service areas, and transaction history
- A dispute reporting mechanism for clients who have experienced agent misconduct
- A growing directory of agents you can search and compare before engaging anyone
Before you hand over any money, spend 10 minutes on our platform. The reviews you find — or do not find — will tell you a great deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it mandatory for all real estate agents in Nigeria to be registered?
In Lagos State, yes — LASRERA makes registration mandatory for any person or company offering real estate services for profit. In other states, the regulatory framework is less strictly enforced, but agents dealing in transactions above ₦5 million should still be SCUML-registered. The practical answer is: always ask, and treat the absence of registration as a yellow flag that requires explanation.
What should I do if I discover my agent is not registered?
You have several options. You can choose to end the engagement before any money changes hands — this is always the safest course. If you wish to continue, ensure that all agreements are in writing, witnessed by a solicitor, and that you independently verify the property title through a licensed property lawyer before paying anything.
Can I report an unregistered or fraudulent agent?
Yes. In Lagos, report to LASRERA directly. Nationally, you can report to the EFCC, the SCUML Secretariat, or the Nigerian Police Force. You can also file a dispute report on RateMyAgentNaija to warn other users about your experience. Public accountability is one of the most effective deterrents in markets where formal enforcement is slow.
How long does agent verification take?
The basic checks — LASRERA search, Google search, and a Pexels call to references — can be completed in under two hours. The more thorough checks (court records, SCUML certificate, physical office visit) may take one to three business days. For any property transaction involving significant money, this is time well spent. If an agent pressures you to skip these steps, that is your answer.
