Legalizing the Commons, Revisiting the Nigeria's Land Use Act

Abstract

"Nigeria with a population of at least 88 million has vast areas of land much of which apparently could be put into production to sustain her agricultural development. But for decades now, sub-optimal use of land has characterized agriculture. One of the main reasons for this has been the relative inability to obtain and acquire access to what appears to be 'free' land in Nigeria. The land use act was a bold attempt to tackle this problem through a legalization of the common property resources in form of family and community owned lands in Nigeria. This paper argues the rationale for conceiving and producing the Act. Through research findings, it annotates the problems that ensued as a direct result of implementing the Act. These problems relate to actual and intended beneficiaries, to the State Governments and the bureaucracy as well as to traditional authorities and local governments in Nigeria. Research findings show that these problems are both socio-economic and political in complexion."