An Appraisal of Land Instrument Registration in Kaduna State under the Geographical Information System (GIS) Laws

Abstract

The law that established the Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) is the KADGIS Law^[1]. The main objective of the Law is to substitute the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Country Planning with the KADGIS. It also computerizes all land records and information, land management, all issues relating to title, instrument registration, searches and other land matters thereto.  One of the issues that brought about the reforms are difficulties in registration and reliability of searches on registered instrument. This hinders uniformity of application as a result of numerous applications on land management and instrument registration. Hence, most of the legal actions against the KADGIS relate to revocations due to multiplicity of laws and lack of publicity. Another issue is that the details of instrument registration, priority, notice, and effect of non-registration are not provided in the KADGIS Law. The aim of this paper is to appraise land instrument registration under the KADGIS. It also makes an in-dept examination of the existing legislations, the operation and working of the KADGIS for a successful land instrument registration in Kaduna State. In order to achieve the above aim and objectives, the paper uses doctrinal research method to examine the KADGIS as an institution generally, land instrument registration, searches, search reports and certified true copy of documents. It has been found that there are uncertainty of laws to apply in respect of instrument registration in Kaduna State. It has also been found that there is a challenge of double allocation of land to different individuals. It is recommended that all laws relating to land instrument in the state should be harmonized to curb the problem of double allocation. This will also go alone way in solving the problem of uncertainty of laws to apply.