…Governor Mbah’s digital revolution restores investor confidence, ends era of fake land transactions
The Enugu State Government has drawn a firm line under decades of land racketeering, fraudulent allocations, and overlapping surveys with the launch of a Digital Survey Management System, an innovation Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s administration says will restore investor confidence and sanitize the state’s land administration process.
The landmark reform was officially unveiled on Tuesday at the Surveyors’ House, Enugu, during a one-day stakeholders’ workshop organized by the Office of the Surveyor General to sensitize professionals and the public on the state’s transition from analogue to a fully digital survey and cadastral management platform.
Addressing participants, the Surveyor General of Enugu State, Surv. Chime Justus, hailed Governor Mbah’s vision for a transparent and modern land management system, describing the digital platform as a “historic milestone that places the surveying profession at the heart of land administration in Enugu State.”
“This new system ensures that survey data, coordinates, and professional signatures are stored in a tamper-proof database,” he said. “It will prevent duplication of surveys, eliminate land disputes, and safeguard both surveyors and landowners. Once a survey is recorded in the system, it cannot be altered or manipulated without accountability.”
Chime explained that the digital system would enhance professional integrity, ensure faster approvals, and make every survey work traceable to its rightful owner.
“Land does not vanish, and now survey records will not either. Even after we are gone, our work will continue to speak for us,” he added.
He urged residents and landowners to register their properties with the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, stressing that digital documentation now offers the most reliable protection against land fraud, encroachment, and multiple ownership claims.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Enugu State Chapter, Surv. Emmanuel Nnamani, applauded the Mbah-led government for what he called a “revolutionary reform” that would finally end the era of multiple allocations and fake cadastral plans.
“Before now, there were frequent cases of overlapping surveys and multiple allocations due to poor documentation. But with this new digital system, every land and survey record will now be traceable to one legitimate owner,” Nnamani said.
Describing the system as a “game changer,” Nnamani emphasized that technology would not replace surveyors but rather elevate their relevance.
“Surveyors must embrace this change. It enhances our value, makes land verification faster, and improves accuracy,” he stated.
The NIS chairman further commended the state government’s investment in modern tools such as drones, total stations, dual-frequency GPS systems, and the establishment of Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) across Enugu, noting that they guarantee improved data precision.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Barr. Chimaobi Okorie, said the reform aligns with Governor Mbah’s vision to make Enugu a top destination for investors through transparent and credible land administration.
“Investors seek certainty and predictability in land transactions,” Okorie explained. “We discovered that past distortions in survey descriptions caused conflicts and overlaps. His Excellency therefore directed the deployment of a digital survey management system that allows anyone to view their land coordinates directly on their devices, ensuring accuracy and transparency.”
He added that the digital platform would “completely eliminate boundary conflicts and overlapping layouts,” stressing that the initiative was the product of a strong collaboration between the Ministry of Lands, the Surveyor General’s Office, and the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS).
“This is not just a reform; it’s a partnership that brings certainty to land administration and guarantees that every survey and allocation in Enugu is digitally verifiable,” the commissioner added.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustained engagement with professionals to ensure smooth implementation, noting that the workshop was part of the broader plan to align surveyors, developers, and estate agents with Enugu’s digital land policy.
Participants at the workshop described the development as a “turning point in land governance in Enugu State,” praising Governor Mbah’s administration for introducing a technology-driven reform that secures property ownership, boosts investor trust, and strengthens the rule of law.
