Losing money to a fraudulent property developer is one of the most painful financial experiences a Nigerian can go through. It happens more than it should, and it doesn't only happen to the naive or uninformed. Smart, educated people have been caught out because they didn't know exactly what to look for.
The good news is that legitimate developers leave a clear trail. Here are seven signs that tell you, before you pay a single kobo, that you're dealing with a real, credible developer.
Leisure Court Editorial Team
Real Estate and Property Development, Nigeria
Leisure Court has been developing affordable residential estates across Abuja, Lagos, Akure and Osogbo for over 7 years. Our team writes to help Nigerian buyers make informed real estate decisions.
What this article covers
1. They Have a Verifiable REDAN Registration
REDAN is the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria. Membership is not automatic; developers must meet standards and submit to oversight to be listed. A developer who is REDAN-certified has at minimum been vetted by an industry body with accountability structures. It doesn't make them perfect, but it means they exist in the official ecosystem.
Ask for their REDAN membership number and verify it directly on the REDAN website. If they hesitate or can't produce it, that's a signal.
Leisure Court is REDAN-certified and was among the first five companies recognised under REDAN's quality and standards framework.
2. They Have Completed Projects You Can Visit
Talk is cheap. The clearest sign of a legitimate developer in Nigeria is a completed project you can physically go to and walk around. Past delivery is the only reliable predictor of future delivery.
Ask the developer: what have you completed? When? Where? Then visit. Not just photos, the actual site. Talk to people who live there if possible. A developer with nothing completed and only off-plan projects is a higher-risk proposition, regardless of how polished their marketing looks.
3. They Can Show You Verified Title Documents
A legitimate developer holds a head title on the land they're selling, a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) or Right of Occupancy (R of O) from the FCT or relevant state authority. They should be able to show you this without hesitation.
Take the document number and verify it through AGIS (for Abuja) or the relevant state land registry. If the title is genuine, the registry will confirm it. If the developer resists or delays providing documents for verification, walk away.
4. They have a Physical Office and a Registered company
Scam operators tend to exist only online or through WhatsApp contacts. A legitimate developer has a physical office address you can visit, a CAC-registered company you can search on the Corporate Affairs Commission portal, and a proper organisational structure, not just one person running everything from a mobile phone.
Search the company name on the CAC website (search.cac.gov.ng). A registered company will show up with its incorporation details.
Related: CAC Nigeria – Company Search Portal
5. Payment Goes to a Company Account
This is one of the clearest separators between legitimate and fraudulent operators. Every payment to a genuine developer goes into a corporate bank account in the company's registered name. Not a personal account. Not an account with a slightly different name. The company's exact registered name.
Request the official bank details in writing. If you're asked to pay into a personal account at any point, stop.
6. They Have Real Reviews and a Trackable Online Presence
Look beyond the developer's own website and social media. Search their company name on Google, check property forums, look for mentions on real estate platforms like PropertyPro.ng or Estate Intel. Real developers have a digital footprint built over time, not just a perfectly curated Instagram page launched six months ago.
Don't discount word of mouth either, but verify independently. A family referral is a starting point, not a conclusion.
7. They Give You Time
Urgency is a manipulation tactic. Phrases like 'this price expires Friday', 'we only have two plots left', or 'this offer is only for today' are designed to stop you from doing due diligence. Legitimate developers want informed buyers; they know that a buyer who has done their research and is confident in the purchase is far less likely to cause problems down the line.
If a developer is rushing you to a decision, slow down. The right property at the right price will still be worth buying after you've done your checks.
Read also: Abuja Real Estate: The Complete Buying Guide
If you're already satisfied that a developer checks these boxes, LeisureCourt is a Nigerian trusted real estate developer with a verified track record across Abuja, Lagos, Oshogbo and Akure. Browse verified-title properties at Leisurecourt
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