I paid the sum of N14,000,000.00 to a developer for 100sqm estate land in Abuja in 2016 and several years down the line he couldn't give me the land because of oversubscription, so in 2020, he asked his colleague that owns a hectare of land next to his to allocate a plot to me. The person now issued an allocation to me for a 500sqm plot citing appreciation of price of plots in the Area. This plot has no specific beacon number to the title and can not be developed. Now in 2024 after several failed attempts to access the plot, the person opted to start refund process and have only refunded N4,000,000.00 in piecemeal and has refused to state exact figure to refund considering inflation and appreciation of same property. Meanwhile the person is still selling properties and developing her own while saying there's no money to repay now until other properties are sold. How do I get my money back with interest?
Lawyer Answers
Silverwrit Attorneys
Feb 27, 2026
Feb 27, 2026
Best Answer
The only way you can do that is by first writing a formal demand letter. You can engage a lawyer to do that on your behalf. If she fails to make a full refund, you have to sue her. Be mindful of the statute of limitations.
Hissam Law Chamber
Feb 27, 2026
Feb 27, 2026
Dear Client,
This is a clear case of breach of contract and potential fraudulent misrepresentation by the developer. Based on the details provided, here is the recommended legal course of action:
Breach of Contract: Since the developer failed to provide the allocated land and has only issued a partial refund, you are legally entitled to the full remaining balance plus damages.
Demand Letter: Your first step should be to engage a local attorney in Nigeria to serve a formal 'Demand Letter' to both the developer and the colleague involved, demanding the full refund with interest within a specific timeframe.
Civil Action for Recovery: If the demand letter is ignored, you should file a civil suit for the recovery of the balance amount (N10,000,000) along with interest and costs for 'failure of consideration' and 'breach of trust'.
Criminal Complaint: Given that the plot provided has no specific beacon number and cannot be developed, you may also report this to the relevant authorities (such as the EFCC in Nigeria) for investigation into fraudulent land dealings.
I strongly advise you to secure all original payment receipts and the allocation documents to strengthen your legal claim.
Best regards,
Advocate Sultan Hissam
Hissam Law Chamber
This is a clear case of breach of contract and potential fraudulent misrepresentation by the developer. Based on the details provided, here is the recommended legal course of action:
Breach of Contract: Since the developer failed to provide the allocated land and has only issued a partial refund, you are legally entitled to the full remaining balance plus damages.
Demand Letter: Your first step should be to engage a local attorney in Nigeria to serve a formal 'Demand Letter' to both the developer and the colleague involved, demanding the full refund with interest within a specific timeframe.
Civil Action for Recovery: If the demand letter is ignored, you should file a civil suit for the recovery of the balance amount (N10,000,000) along with interest and costs for 'failure of consideration' and 'breach of trust'.
Criminal Complaint: Given that the plot provided has no specific beacon number and cannot be developed, you may also report this to the relevant authorities (such as the EFCC in Nigeria) for investigation into fraudulent land dealings.
I strongly advise you to secure all original payment receipts and the allocation documents to strengthen your legal claim.
Best regards,
Advocate Sultan Hissam
Hissam Law Chamber
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