11/08/2026
If you think Excision and Gazette mean the same thing, STOP! You could make a costly mistake when buying land.”
GAZETTE vs EXCISION: What’s the Difference?
📚 Simple Explanation
Excision is the process by which the government formally releases a portion of land from an area under government acquisition, usually recognising it as belonging to the indigenous/community landowners, subject to the applicable government process and documentation.
Gazette, in this context, is an official government publication that records or publishes information about a government decision, declaration, acquisition, excision or other matter. A gazette is therefore not simply another type of land title equivalent to excision.
Think of it this way:
🏡 Excision = the government’s formal release/exclusion of a specified area from acquisition, where legally granted.
📖 Gazette = an official government publication/record in which government notices or decisions are published.
🔍 Neither word alone should make you conclude that a particular plot is automatically safe to buy. The actual survey, coordinates, documents, planning status, acquisition status and root of title must be verified.
Important: Land documentation and terminology can vary by state and by the specific transaction. In Lagos, for example, you should have the property independently investigated before payment.
GAZETTE ≠ EXCISION! 🚨
One of the biggest mistakes land buyers make is assuming that hearing the word “Gazette” or “Excision” automatically means the land is safe.
It doesn't.
Before you invest your hard-earned money, you need to know what document exists, what area it covers, whose interest is being transferred, and whether the particular plot falls within the properly documented area.
Don't buy land because someone said, “It has excision.”
Don't buy because someone said, “It is gazetted.”
VERIFY! VERIFY! VERIFY! 🔎🏡
Your money deserves proper due diligence.
