Katsina Government Gives Property Owners 16-Day Deadline to Obtain C of O

The Katsina State Government has issued a 16-day deadline for all property owners to update their Certificates of Occupancy (C of O), ahead of major land administration reforms scheduled to begin in 2026.

The directive was announced during a sensitisation programme organised by the Katsina Investment Promotion Agency (KIPA). Speaking at the event, the agency’s Director-General, Ibrahim Tukur Jikamshi, emphasised that any property without an updated C of O is regarded as “dead capital” — meaning it cannot be used to secure loans, support business ventures, or access other related benefits.

Jikamshi noted that the state has fully digitised its land records through the Geographic Information Service (GIS), a system designed to make the C of O process faster, more transparent, and more efficient. With the upgrade, the processing time for obtaining a certificate has been cut from 20 days to 16.

He further stated that old C of O documents would no longer be valid. Property owners are expected to clear all outstanding obligations, including ground rent, before they can obtain the new digital certificates.