We have decided to end our weekly blog by writing on the various land sizes commonly used and their measurements.
Most people who purchase land don’t really understand the different land sizes and their measurements.
The first hurdle, therefore, is for people to understand the system of land measurement in Nigeria.
In Nigeria today, land is measured in hectares, acres, meters, and feet. These measurements are affected by factors, which include developmental patterns, and human and environmental factors.
Let’s start by asking:
What is the size of a standard plot in Nigeria?
According to the Oxford dictionary meaning of a plot:
‘A plot is a marked out piece of land for the purpose of building or farming.’ The word ‘plot’ is an arbitrary term used to describe a land division carved out for property development or agriculture (including farming, poultry, etc).
The size of a plot can vary for different reasons, but according to Nigeria’s land division, the appropriate plot size for a house construction is 60feet × 120feet which can accommodate a standard house with a small compound.
To better understand land sizes used in Nigeria, different units of sizes are used as follows:
HECTARE
A hectare is one of the least known units of measurement and one which potential buyers, estate consultants and even estate developers seem to struggle with.
It is a land measuring:
👉🏿100metres x 100metres
OR
👉🏿328feet x 328feet
OR
👉🏿10,000 square metres OR
👉🏿Two and a half acres OR
👉🏿15 plots.
ACRE
An acre is a standard unit of measurement used by land sellers and it is almost equivalent to the size of a standard football field.
It’s one of the oldest terms used to describe land sizes and was defined in the middle ages as The area of land that could be plowed in one day by a yoke of oxen.
An acre is a product of any rectangular piece of land measuring a total of:
👉🏿 0.0015625 square miles
OR
👉🏿 4840 square yards
OR
👉🏿4,046square meters OR
👉🏿43,560 square feet OR
👉🏿6 plots (each measuring 60feet x 120feet)
PLOT
In Lagos State, the standard size of a plot is 60feet x 120feet (18metres x 36metres i.e. 648 square metres), while in some other cities of the country, plots are measured in *50feet x 100feet.
DR. B.A OYENEYIN
M.B.CH.B.,A.C.S., A.C.S.I.(UK)
