Land Investment: From Buy-and-Hold to Buy-and-Earn.

Real estate investment in Nigeria is fast evolving. Developers and investors are constantly adapting to the shifting market, finding new ways to make money from properties beyond traditional methods. While mortgages and savings used to be the go-to option for financing projects, they’re now less popular because they can slow down developers who need to complete projects quickly and move on to the next one.

Instead, we’ve seen new investment strategies like buyback financing, material financing, and off-plan financing take center stage. But there’s another trend catching attention—something I call Income Plots. Unlike traditional land investments where you buy and wait for value appreciation, Income Plots generate revenue while you hold onto the land.

This isn’t exactly a new concept, but it's one that’s gaining more recognition in recent times. From parking lots to farmlands, investors? are finding ways to make their land work for them in real-time. Let’s explore how this works and why it’s becoming a game-changer in real estate investment.

The Evolution of Real Estate Financing in Nigeria

For a long time, investing in real estate meant buying land or buildings, holding onto them, and waiting for their value to rise. But the financial landscape is evolving, and so are the ways people fund real estate projects.

Here are some of the key shifts happening in property financing:

• Buyback Financing: Developers sell properties to investors with a promise to buy them back at a higher price later, giving investors a guaranteed profit.
• Material Financing: Investors provide building materials instead of cash, helping developers complete projects faster while sharing in the profits.
• Off-Plan Financing: People invest in properties before they’re even built, often getting them at lower prices and selling later at a higher value.

These alternatives are gaining traction because they provide more flexibility and quicker returns compared to traditional mortgage financing. Developers prefer them because they allow them to move faster in a highly competitive and inflation-driven market.

What Are Income Plots?

If you ask most people about land investment, they’ll tell you to "buy and wait" because land always appreciates in value. But what if your land could make you money while you wait? That’s where Income Plots come in.

Simply put, Income Plots are lands that generate income while they appreciate in value. Instead of sitting idle, they are used for short-term revenue-generating activities.

This isn’t an entirely new idea—we’ve been renting land for years in different ways without even realizing it.

Take these examples:

• Paid Parking Spaces – In cities like Lagos and Enugu, people pay to park their cars in empty lots. Landowners make money daily from spaces that would otherwise just sit there.
• Event Spaces – Many landowners rent out their plots for weddings, parties, and religious gatherings. With the right location, a simple open field can turn into a steady stream of income.
• Temporary Commercial Use – Empty land is often leased to vendors, food stalls, or even for advertising billboards.

This is proof that land doesn’t have to sit unused. With the right structure,? you can generate consistent income while your land grows in value over time.

How Are Developers Monetising Land?

More real estate developers are starting to take Income Plots seriously and are structuring new investment opportunities around them. Some of the most exciting ones include:

1. Agricultural Land Leasing

Developers are partnering with farmers and agribusinesses to lease land for food production. With Nigeria’s food demand increasing every year, farmland is becoming more valuable than ever. Some developers are even offering managed farming services, where investors own the land while professionals cultivate crops and share the profits.

2. Renewable Energy Projects

With the push for clean energy, some landowners are leasing their plots for solar farms and wind turbines. This provides a steady, long-term revenue stream while supporting the transition to sustainable energy.

3. Commercial Leasing

Land in prime locations is being leased for outdoor advertising, pop-up shops, Data centres and storage facilities. Businesses are always looking for strategic spots, and landowners are cashing in by providing short-term rental opportunities.

Case Studies: Real-World Examples of Income Plots

Veritasi Agricultural Endeavors:

Veritasi, recognized by the Financial Times as one of Africa’s fastest-growing real estate firms, has expanded into agriculture by leasing large tracts of land for commercial rice farming at Itunu City Estate. Rather than leaving the land idle, they have created a revenue stream through active cultivation, maximizing its short-term value while still benefiting from long-term appreciation.

Enugu State’s Agricultural Initiative

The government of Enugu State recently launched series of projects encouraging landowners to lease their land for farming. The goal is to establish 340 Greenhouse Technology farms across the state’s 17 local government areas to boost agricultural exports.The Government also allocated N2 billion for farm estates across the state’s 260 wards in 2025.

Blackstone’s Data Center Land Investments

As the demand for cloud computing and AI surges, data centers have become one of the most valuable real estate assets globally. Blackstone, one of the world’s largest investment firms, has been aggressively acquiring land for data center developments, recognizing the long-term value of this asset class.

In 2024, Blackstone expanded its data center footprint through the acquisition of AirTrunk, a leading hyperscale data center provider in the Asia-Pacific region. The firm is also investing heavily in data center real estate across the U.S. and Europe, securing land in strategic locations to support the rising demand for digital storage and processing power.

Why Are Income Plots Gaining Popularity?

Currently, several factors are driving the rise of Income Plots in Nigeria:

1. Population Growth and Food Demand

Nigeria’s population is expected to double in the next 20 years. With more mouths to feed and an already high cost of food (50% of the average Nigerian’s income goes to food), land used for agriculture is becoming increasingly valuable.

2. The Shift Away from Globalisation

Countries worldwide are focusing more on local production and self-sufficiency. Nigeria is no different—there’s now a stronger push to produce more food locally rather than relying on imports.

3. Economic Diversification

With the oil industry’s uncertain future, the government and investors are looking for new ways to generate revenue. Agriculture, renewable energy, and real estate are becoming key focus areas.

4. Inflation and the Need for Passive Income

As inflation reduces the purchasing power of money, people are looking for investments that provide cash flow rather than just long-term appreciation. Income Plots offer both—a steady income while the land itself continues to grow in value.

Final Thoughts: Is This the Future of Land Investment?

The traditional real estate model of "buy and wait" is evolving into "buy and earn." Income Plots offer investors a unique opportunity to make money from their land immediately, instead of waiting years for appreciation.

Whether it’s through parking spaces, farmland, events, or commercial leasing, there are multiple ways to turn land into a cash-generating asset.

For investors looking for alternative real estate opportunities, Income Plots could be one of the interesting moves in today’s market. The demand for food, energy, and commercial space isn’t slowing down anytime soon—so why should your land sit idle?

Now might be the best time to rethink land investment and explore how your property can start working for you today.

Written by Josemaria Agulanna

Edited by Adebisi Borokinni. , Francis-Mary Ononye , Amina Baye