Revenue generation and the Land Use Act: The case of Lagos State

Abstract

In 1978 the federal military government enacted the Land Use Act which theoretically revolutionized the land tenure system. So far, successful implementation has been limited since the Act is at such variance with reality. In spite of this, the Lagos State government, which has the smallest land resources in the nation, has been able to generate so much income from its implementation that land dealings are a major source of state finance. This article investigates the actual generation of this income through the implementation of the Act.