Land measurement is the process of determining the exact size and area of a piece of land, which is often expressed in square meters (Sqm), acres, or hectares, by calculating its dimensions and using the appropriate formulas.
Common Land Measurements Units In Nigeria
1. Plot A plot is one of the most commonly used units of land measurement in Nigeria. It is essentially a smaller division of a larger piece of land. In real estate, plots are often used to describe the size of land available for sale or development.
2. Hectare A hectare is a much larger measurement of land. It is the equivalent of 10,000 square meters or about 2.47 acres. To put it into perspective, one hectare can contain roughly 15 to 16 standard plots in Nigeria, depending on plot size variations
3. Acre An acre is smaller than a hectare but larger than a plot. It equals about 4,046.86 square meters or 6 plots of land (using the standard Nigerian plot size). Acres are often used for larger-scale land transactions, such as farmland or estates.
4. Square Meter (M²) The square meter is the smallest unit of land measurement in Nigeria. It’s often used for calculating very specific land sizes or irregular shapes. For example, if a property is not a perfect rectangle, the size is often given in square meters.
Property Measurement Standard In Nigeria Nigeria follows globally recognized land measurements practices but adapts them to local needs and customs
- Residential Land: In most urban areas, residential plots are 450 sqm (standard plot size). In some luxury estates, larger plots like 600 sqm or 1,000 sqm may be offered.
- Commercial Land Commercial plots in Nigeria are usually bigger to accommodate parking and other facilities, ranging from 900 sqm to 1,500 sqm or more.
- Agricultural Land Farmlands are often sold in acres or hectares, given their larger size. Plot Sizes In Different Nigerian States Interestingly, plot sizes are not uniform across Nigeria. They can vary depending on the state or region. Below is a comparison of plot sizes in different Nigerian states:
State Standard Plot Size Reason
Lagos state 60ft by 120ft (68sqm) Slightly larger than the national standard
Abuja (FCT) 50ft by 100ft (450sqm) Follows the national standard
Rivers state 50ft by 100ft (450sqm) Follows the national standard
Enugu state 60ft by 120ft (68ssqm) Slightly larger than the national standard
Kano state 50ft by 100ft (450sqm) Follows the national standard
Understand Land Dimensions
If you’ve ever wondered what those numbers—50ft by 100ft, or 60ft by 120ft—really mean, here’s a quick explanation
50 Ft By 100 Ft
This is a rectangle-shaped plot with a width of 50 feet and a length of 100 feet. Converting it to square meters:
1 foot = 0.3048 meters, so
50ft x 100ft ≈ 15m x 30m = 450 sqm.
60 FT By 120 FT
Similar to the above, this dimension converts to:
18m x 36m = 648 sqm.
