…Crestline boss says professional checks helped investors avoid losses
The Chief Executive Officer of Crestline Properties, Ambassador Samuel Somide, says rigorous property verification processes helped prevent losses estimated at more than N800 million on land transactions across Nigeria in 2025.
Somide spoke during an interview with journalists in Abeokuta on Friday, noting that land remains one of the most valuable yet vulnerable forms of investment in the country.
He said many investors still lose money due to unclear ownership, government acquisition, fraudulent sales and unresolved family disputes, with problems often emerging long after payments are made.
According to him, Nigeria Property Verification (NPV) played a key role in addressing these risks in 2025 by ensuring that investors committed funds only to properties with proven ownership, clear government status and minimal exposure to disputes.
He explained that several affected buyers had previously relied on receipts, surface inspections or verbal assurances, which later failed to stand as proof of ownership.
Somide said NPV operates on the principle that documents alone do not amount to ownership, adding that the organisation’s process includes ownership confirmation, government status checks, dispute assessment and verification of documents against physical land and official records.
Through this layered approach, he said, NPV identified high risk properties before payments were made, allowing clients to cancel, renegotiate or completely avoid unsafe transactions.
Internal reviews at the end of 2025, he disclosed, showed that the organisation’s interventions prevented potential losses exceeding N800 million, arising from halted transactions, renegotiated deals and abandoned purchases triggered by verification findings.
He added that accountability remains central to NPV’s work, saying the organisation stands by the accuracy of its verification outcomes in a sector often marked by weak responsibility. This commitment, he said, has strengthened client confidence and positioned NPV as a credible authority in property due diligence.
Looking ahead, Somide said rising land values and increasingly complex transactions make professional verification even more essential for buyers and investors.
He restated NPV’s pledge to continue protecting investors, promoting transparency and reducing avoidable losses in Nigeria’s real estate sector, guided by its principle: Verify First. Cry Never.
“As land values continue to rise and transactions become more complex, the importance of professional property verification cannot be overstated,” he said.
“Nigeria Property Verification is a property due diligence and risk assessment service dedicated to helping individuals and investors make safe, informed land purchases in Nigeria. NPV’s core principle remains: Verify First. Cry Never.”
