A common question real estate consultants get is “How much is a plot of land in …..?” or “how much is half plot?”. This question is quite popular among buyers who are new to the Nigerian real estate sector and it exposes the individual as a novice.
Understanding land size measurements in Nigeria is crucial to anyone who is looking to buy, sell or invest in real estate in the country.
At the end of this article, you will learn not just what a plot means, but also terms like, Square meters, Acre and Hectare.
Before going into details on the different land sizes, you need to first understand what a square meter is (also denoted by SQM).
What’s a Square Meter (SQM)
A square meter is a unit of area, equal to the size of a square with sides that are one meter long. It is commonly used to measure the area of a two dimensional space, like a land, room or floor.
We understand that using words to explain what a square meter is can be quite confusing so we have attached a video below.
It is easier to measure the size of a land in square meters, hence you hear real estate agents, consultants or developers quote prices in square meters. You hear things like “this plot of land is ₦20,000 per square meter” or “The land is ₦400,000 for 300Sqm”
Plot Sizes
The word “plot” is a general lingo used to describe an area of land carved out for a specific purpose. So, a plot is not a specific size.
Asking for the price of a plot without knowing the size is similar to someone who goes to a car dealer and says “I want to buy a Toyota car, how much is it?” Obviously, the price of the car depends on the model right? Definitely.
Instead of asking for the price of a plot, you should first ask for the size of the plot.
Henceforth, your conversation with any real estate consultant or developer should go thus;
You: Hi Barbara, I want to buy a plot of land in Uyo.
Barbara: Alright, we have lands in Mbierebe and Iboko.
You: I want the one in Mbierebe. What’s the size of a plot?
Barbara: It’s 500sqm (square meters). The owner is selling it for ₦7.5 million.
You: Alright, I’ll come for inspection on Saturday.
Furthermore, the size of a plot depends on three major factors; the use case of the land (residential or commercial), the state where the land is located and the seller.
Let’s break this down a bit.
Use case of the land
There are two different use cases which are residential or commercial.
Residential plots are plots of lands allocated for buildings where people can live while commercial plots are plots of lands reserved for buildings for business purposes like offices, schools, malls etc.
Commercial plots are generally bigger than residential plots. In Lagos State, commercial plots vary from 1000 square meters or 1200 square meters while residential plots are usually between 500 square meters or 600 square meters.
State where the land is located
According to the land use act of Nigeria, a land belongs to the state government where the land is located. So, a state government can set laws regarding plot sizes within its jurisdiction.
This is done to avoid disputes between locals. Imagine a Nigeria where landowners are completely at liberty to choose land sizes themselves, courthouses will be filled to the brim on cases related to land disputes.
Each state in Nigeria has a generally accepted plot size for residential and commercial plots.
For example, the size of a standard residential plot in Lagos is 600 SQM while in Edo state, it’s usually 450 SQM.
The Seller
Although the state government can give a size for standard plots, real estate developers and landowners can tweak the size a bit.
In Lagos, the standard size for a residential plot is 600 SQM but real estate developers usually sell 500 SQM instead because they need to cut off some areas for pavements, roads and drainages.
Acre
An acre of land is 4,046 square meters or 43,560 square feet and it’s the standard size all over the world. To provide more context, the size of an acre is usually 6 standard residential plots if each plot measures 60 x 120ft.
Also, an acre is almost the size of a football pitch.
Hectare
The size of an hectare of land is fixed at 10,000 SQM globally. An hectare is also two and half acres of land or 15 plots of land where each plot is sized at 60 x 120ft.
Recommendations
When going to buy land, it’s best to buy through a reputable real estate developer. If you are buying from an individual or family, you should go with a surveyor to help you take the coordinates and measure the land appropriately.
FAQ
How many square meters is a plot of land?
As we explained in this article, there is no specific size for a plot. Reach out to the agent you are buying the land from to confirm the size in square meters.
What land size is required to build a Duplex?
The size needed to build a Duplex depends on the number of rooms and building style. A duplex can be built on a 300SQM land with enough parking space for 2 – 3 cars.
What’s the difference between Acre and Hectare?
An Acre is 4,046Sqm of land while an hectare is 10,000Sqm.
Can I verify the size of a land online?
In some countries, this is available but it isn’t available in Nigeria. There are no public records for lands in Nigeria at the moment.
We hope you have learnt about the land size measurements in Nigeria. Have you seen our article on 8 ways to fight inflation in Nigeria? We wrote that article for individuals who want to protect their purchasing power during a period of high inflation.
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