In the second week of January, a friend and I inspected his property in Ogun State. It was supposed to be an Acre, but it’s actually 4 and a half plots. Since he didn’t know the different land sizes, the seller fooled him at the point of purchase.

What signal does this send?: All land buyers should understand the land measurement system in Nigeria, or transact at the mercy of the seller’s surveyor.

And of course, since people buy plots of land more than acres and hectares, they are more interested in knowing the size of a plot of land.

In case, you are among those who have been sending questions like, “Donald, how can I find out the size of a plot of land?” the answer is right here. Just read on.

Land Measurement In Nigeria
The land sizes of different countries vary. It’s even baffling that land measurement in Nigeria varies among states.

It is because the governors of each state hold the land in their state in trust for the people.

Thus, every state with its laws just as every Mallam with his kettle. This is why there is no unified land measurement system in Nigeria.

However, the units of measurement adopted are similar. Due to this revelation, I will focus most sections of this article on Lagos state.

Types Of Land Sizes
There are different types of land sizes in Nigeria. They are:

(a) The primary units comprising feet and square metres.
The primary units of measuring the size of land are feet and square metres.

Feet (ft)
Feet is the plural of foot. One foot (1ft) = 0.3048 metre or 12 inches.

And one square foot (1ft square) = 0.3048 metre X 0.3048 metre = 0.093square metres

Square Metres (Sqm)
One metre = 3.3 feet.

And one square metre = 3.3 feet X 3.3 feet = 10.89 square metres.

(b) The secondary units comprising plots, acres and hectares.
The secondary units of measuring the size of land are plots, acres and hectares.

Plots
The size of a plot of land in Lagos can either be in square metres or square feet. Below is how you can calculate a plot of land in the state.

So, 1 plot of land in metres = 18 metres X 36 metres = 648 square metres.

And 1 plot of land in feet = 60 feet X 120 feet = 7,200 square feet.

However, most estates in Lagos state use 600 square metres as against 648.

Acres
An acre is almost equivalent to the size of a football field. It is also almost equivalent to 6 plots of land.

The size of an acre of land = 4,046 square metres or 43,560 square feet.

Hectares
For those who intend to buy land in large quantity and therefore want to know how many plots make 1 hectare in Nigeria? This section is for you:

A hectare = 100 metres X 100 metres = 10,000 square metres.

Or = 328 feet X 328 feet = 107,584 square metres

It is about 2 and a half acres or about 15 plots. Actually, it is 2.47 acres.

ALSO READ: How Nigerians Abroad Grow Wealth Through Cheap Land For Sale Back Home

What Is The Size Of A Plot Of Land In Nigeria?
As earlier said, the size of a plot of land varies among states. So, let’s compare the size of a plot of land among some states in Nigeria

The Size Of A Plot Of Land Among States In Nigeria

States Square Metres Square Feet
Lagos 648 7,200
Edo 460 5,000
Delta 450 4,900
Port Harcourt 460 5,000
Calabar 1, 100 11,979
What Is The Size Of Half A Plot Of Land In Nigeria?
To get the size of half a plot of land in Nigeria, divide the above figures by 2 or

Half a plot of land in metres = 9 metres X 36 metres = 324 square metres.

And half a plot of land in feet = 30 feet X 120 feet = 3,600 square feet.

Most estates in Lagos state use 300 square metres for half a plot as against 324.

Ideal Plot Size For A House In Nigeria
The ideal plot size for a house that can accommodate a standard house with a small compound is 50 feet X 100 feet.

Conclusion
Land sizes of different states vary in Nigeria. However, Lagos state uses 60 feet X 120 feet which is equivalent to 18 metres X 36 metres.

This implies that the 2 easy ways to know the size of a plot of land in Nigeria are in feet or metres.

However, some people buy land in larger units which can be acres or hectares.

Ensure you ask the sellers the size of the land they are selling to you because the size of a plot of land varies among Nigerian states and sellers.