Exploring land policy tools and instruments for formalising informal settlements in Nigeria

Informal settlements are the most common type of urbanisation in underdeveloped nations, with unstable tenure, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-spatial marginalisation. Despite multiple efforts to formalise these settlements, obstacles remain due to fragmented governance structures, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and a misalignment between statutory land policy tools and the realities of informal land tenure. This paper examines the influence of land policy tools and formalisation instruments used to integrate informal settlements into the formal urban fabric, with a particular emphasis on Nigeria. Using a qualitative research approach, data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 34 relevant stakeholders, including government officials, legal experts, community leaders, and urban planners. A thematic analysis was used to discover key themes and ideas. The findings suggest that previous land laws, particularly the Land Use Act of 1978, centralised land governance, making it difficult for low-income people to get formal titles. Formalisation mechanisms including Certificates of Occupancy, slum rehabilitation programs, and urban redevelopment initiatives have had minimal impact due to administrative delays and a lack of grassroots participation. The study also identifies key future strategies for improving formalisation outcomes, such as incorporating customary land practices into statutory systems, simplifying land titling procedures, leveraging technologies like Geographic Information System (GIS) and mobile data collection, and encouraging community-driven approaches. Finally, the study emphasises the importance of shifting away from rigid, top-down frameworks and towards inclusive, participative, and technologically enabled models that reflect local realities and promote long-term urban development.