The Kano State government has announced plans to publish names of defaulters and owners of landed properties who have failed to avail themselves to recertify their Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O).
Grassroots Parrot reports that the announcement was made by the Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Abduljabbar Mohammed Umar, during a press conference held Tuesday at the ministry’s headquarters in Kano.
Umar stated that there is also a 60-day extension for the ongoing recertification of C of O, urging property owners to comply or risk losing their land titles.
The extension comes after the expiration of the April 1, 2025 deadline, which had already been moved from January 24 to accommodate the Eid holiday and provide residents with more time.
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Despite these adjustments, Umar lamented the persistently low turnout of property owners for the recertification exercise, which began on November 25, 2024, under the directive of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
“Since the commencement of this initiative, we have documented only 241,025 properties across six major metropolitan local government areas—Nassarawa, Fagge, Tarauni, Dala, Kano Municipal, and Gwale,” the commissioner stated.
Describing the exercise as vital for effective land management, Umar said the recertification process is essential to building a comprehensive land database that would enhance government planning, revenue collection, and infrastructure development.
“This process helps us know who owns what, how the land is being used, and where infrastructure gaps exist,” he explained.
To compel compliance, Umar warned that the names of defaulters would soon be published in national newspapers and posted on notice boards at strategic government locations, including the Kano State Library, Audu Bako Secretariat, Gidan Murtala, and the State High Court.
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He also noted that the Kano Geographic Information System (KANGIS) would continue to support the recertification process through its online platforms, customer service helplines, and physical service centers.
In a bid to further ease land documentation challenges, the commissioner revealed plans to introduce Sectional Titling, a new policy designed to simplify the registration of properties within estates, plazas, flats, and market complexes.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to overhauling land administration in Kano, Umar urged all residents to take advantage of the extended deadline to regularize their documents and secure their legal ownership rights.
“The time to act is now. No further excuses will be entertained,” he warned.