Differences in ownership, along with limited government capacity, can lead to a lack of transparency in the management of public land. While states may be major landowners, like the private sector, they often hold little interest, incentive, or capacity to use this land to address the housing and infrastructure needs of low-income urban populations. And if land is technically owned by specific title holders, like presidents or governors, it is possible that public land will be used as a political reward or a form of patronage, rather than for the public good.
Nigeria has a few laws aimed at solving the issue of transparency around public land ownership and management, but none of them have been fully effective. One law declares that the rent charged for occupying state-owned public land should be used for community investments, but the rents are set at a low rate and oftentimes, rent is not collected because the properties are not registered with a certificate of occupancy. Additionally, the 1978 Land Use Act (LUA) has been implemented unevenly, meaning that it actually has encouraged unplanned and informal expansion in urban areas, and distorts property and land markets.
Source:
World Bank Group. (2015) Stocktaking of the Housing Sector in Sub-Saharan Africa : Challenges and Opportunities. World Bank, Washington, DC.
Link: https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/23358