The Lagos State Government has announced a new policy requiring tax clearance for all housing transactions within the state. This move aims to prevent fraud in home ownership transfers and safeguard the interests of allottees, particularly in cases of lost documents.

Abdulhafis Toriola, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, revealed this development during a strategic management meeting at his Alausa office. He emphasized that all applications for home ownership transfer must now include evidence of ownership, search conduct results, and a valid means of identification, especially if documents are lost.

Applicants must submit a letter of allocation, payment receipts, and a valid ID to the Ministry of Housing to verify ownership claims. This step is crucial due to the rising number of false claims the Ministry has encountered. For homeowners needing replacement documents, the required submissions include their National Identification Number (NIN) card, a police report, and a published notice of the document loss in a national newspaper.

Additionally, every housing transaction application in Lagos State must now include a valid tax clearance certificate. This requirement covers applications for new home units, changes of ownership, or replacements of lost documents, applicable to both public and civil servants. Toriola underscored that housing construction and infrastructure development in Lagos are funded by taxpayers’ money.

Thus, beneficiaries must prove their tax compliance. Applications missing the required documents will not be processed by the Ministry. The Permanent Secretary urged citizens to utilize the opportunities provided by the State Government, which is focused on completing all ongoing housing projects to address the housing deficit in the state and the nation.