Ebonyi Govt Targets End to Land Disputes with Full Digitalization Drive

The Ebonyi State Government has concluded plans to fully digitize land administration across the state, in a move aimed at ending land encroachment, illegal land grabbing, and other disputes associated with land management.

The Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Dr. Mathew Nwobasi, disclosed this during an interview with journalists, noting that digitalization had become necessary due to the increasing cases of unauthorized land occupation and boundary violations. “Land grabbing and encroachment into government properties remain some of our major problems. I have resolved several cases based on their merits, but to end these issues completely, the ministry is transiting to full digitalization. If we succeed, cases of land encroachment and grabbing will become things of the past,” he stated.

Explaining the scope of the project, the Commissioner said the new system would map all lands in Ebonyi State and make land searches possible from any location through mobile phones or laptops. “With full digitalization, you don’t need to come to the ministry for land search. You can search from the comfort of your home. You will be able to access details of any land in real time, including activities happening there. If a land is encroached upon, the system will immediately flag it,” he explained.

Dr. Nwobasi revealed that the digitalization project, already in its advanced stage, would cost billions of naira, and has received the full approval of Governor Francis Nwifuru. “The contract is going to be capital-intensive, but His Excellency has approved that we should proceed. We are already engaging contractors. The process will take between 12 and 18 months,” he said. The Commissioner also highlighted other achievements of the ministry, including the revival of the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) process, which was inactive before the current administration came on board. “When we assumed office, the ministry was not producing C of O at all. The governor approved funds, and we revived the system. Today, we print C of O with ease and without issues. It remains one of my major successes,” he said. He noted that the governor’s decision to delegate the signing of C of O to him has helped to eliminate bureaucratic delays, adding that government allocations now take a maximum of two weeks to process, while private land certificates are completed within three weeks. Dr. Nwobasi further disclosed plans to establish Town Planning Authorities in each of the three senatorial zones of the state to ensure balanced and coordinated urban development. “We are going to set up a Town Planning Authority in each senatorial zone so that urbanization is not concentrated only in Abakaliki. Every part of the state deserves development, and we are strategizing on how to achieve this,” he said. He described the forthcoming digitalization project as a landmark step that will redefine land management in Ebonyi State, strengthen revenue generation, and eliminate disputes arising from multiple ownership claims.