By Gbenga Akingbule.
The Borno State Government on Wednesday announced the commencement of online land application and allocation in its New City, a development aimed at expanding Maiduguri – the state capital and its environs in line with the state’s 25-year development plan .
Gatekeepers News reports that the new digitization move, as stated by the government, will for the first time eliminate human interference, curb corruk.ption, promote accountability, block revenue leakages, and ultimately strengthen public confidence in government operations within the sector .
The initiative is also expected to improve efficiency and ensure faster processing of land allocation services. Already, the state government has completed the Phase I of the road project, covering 16.5 kilometres of the 113-kilometres Ring Road, where new residential, commercial, and recreational layouts have been created.
The Executive Secretary of Borno State Borno State Geographic Information Services ( BOGIS) Engr. Adam Bukar Bababe disclosed this during a press conference held in Maiduguri, the Borno State Capital.
According to him, the digital platform was designed to simplify land application processes while ensuring transparency and accessibility for all applicants regardless of their location.
Bababe explained that prospective land owners can now apply, upload required documents including their Tax Identification Number(TAN) , track application status, and receive allocation approvals entirely online without the need for physical contact with officials.
The young and dynamic BOGIS boss revealed that the new layouts comprise high-, medium- -and low-density areas designed to cater to the needs of all categories of applicants
He noted the new system would drastically reduce delays previously associated with manual processing while also safeguarding government records through a secure and centralized database..
” Guided by the Land Use Act and the Borno State Development Plan, the administration of Governor Babagana Zulum is strategically driving the expansion of Maiduguri, the state capital, to ease urban congestion and open up opportunities for the provision of affordable housing for residents.” Engr. Bababe said.
He added that applicants will be required to pay premium charges and other statutory fees associated with the grant of a Right of Occupancy, which range between ₦750,000 and ₦4 million, depending on their selected plot category.
The BOGIS boss further disclosed that special arrangements and allocation of land along the 133 Kilometres ring road which cut across Njimtilo, Chabal, Tungushe, Lake Chad Research Institute, Dalori, and Molai silos communities is being allocated to Estate Developers
” We have already allocated 113 and 101 hectares of land to some estate developers who have since commenced work on their project , we are looking forward to more developers joining in to accelerate the growth of the new city.” Engr. Bababe revealed.
