The Niger State Government has excluded places of worship, old people’s homes, correctional facilities, Emir’s palaces and residences of senior citizens from its planned land use charges in the state.
The Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Barr Maurice Bello Magaji, in a statement said the government had already finalized plans to introduce the land use charge to enhance effective and efficient land administration.
He explained that the move aims to consolidate all property and land-based rates in accordance with the State Revenue Harmonisation Law just as charges will be based on assessments of land properties, considering factors like location, purpose, and type.
Magaji noted that the land use charge aligns with international best practices and the Revenue Harmonisation Law, which seeks to improve the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for better provision of social amenities.
“However, certain properties, including places of worship, old people’s homes, correctional facilities, Emir’s palaces, and residences of senior citizens, will be exempted from these charges,” the statement disclosed.
The statement further revealed that Governor Muhammad Umar Bago has approved the upgrade of the Geographical Information System (GIS).
“This upgrade will enable the government to identify areas of interest, particularly agricultural lands, and generate data for planning purposes, including house numbering.
“The upgraded GIS will also streamline the land acquisition process, improve data accuracy, and facilitate better management of land resources across the state.”
Niger Govt exempts places of worship, emirs, senior citizens, others from land use charges