The Kano State Government has announced an extension of the deadline for the ongoing recertification exercise of Certificates of Occupancy (C-of-O), warning that the names of defaulting property owners will be published in national dailies and other public platforms starting Wednesday.
This announcement was made by the Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning, Abduljabbar Umar, during a press briefing held in Kano. He expressed concern over the persistent failure of some landowners to comply with the recertification process, despite multiple extensions and public awareness efforts over the past two years.
According to Umar, the initial deadline of April 1, 2025—extended earlier on January 24, 2025—coincided with the public holiday marking the Eid festivities. In consideration of the Ramadan season, the announcement was temporarily suspended. However, with the holiday period now over, the government is moving forward with plans to enforce compliance.
“In the spirit of leniency and progress, the government has approved a final extension of 60 days for the recertification exercise,” Umar stated. “However, we will begin publishing the names of defaulters across major national newspapers and official state outlets starting tomorrow, Wednesday. These include the Kano State Library, Audu Bako Secretariat, Gidan Murtala, and the Kano State High Court.”
He warned that failure to recertify within this final window could result in the revocation of land titles, in accordance with Section 28(5) of the Land Use Act of 1978. The Commissioner lamented the indifference of some property owners, noting that despite ample opportunities and sensitization campaigns, many have yet to take the necessary steps to protect their land ownership rights.
Since the commencement of the recertification drive on November 25, 2024—officially flagged off by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf—the Ministry has recorded significant progress. So far, 241,025 properties have been enumerated across six metropolitan local government areas: Nassarawa, Fagge, Tarauni, Dala, Kano Municipal, and Gwale.
Umar commended the support of key stakeholders, particularly the Kano Emirate Council, local government leaders, and community heads, for their pivotal roles in ensuring the success of the exercise. He emphasized that the Land Property Enumeration Exercise aims to build a comprehensive and updated database of land and property ownership across Kano State. The data will help determine property usage, identify required social infrastructure, project revenue from land-related taxes, and support efficient urban planning.
He concluded by urging all affected individuals to seize this final opportunity to regularize their land documentation and avoid the consequences of government-sanctioned revocation.
