Illegal Development Levies: Know Your Rights as a Property Developer in Delta State

One of the most persistent challenges faced by property developers in Delta State is the illegal collection of so-called 'development levies' — popularly known as 'deve fees.' These are unauthorized charges demanded by individuals claiming to represent communities, youth associations, or traditional leadership. While some community-level engagement is customary in Nigerian real estate, demanding money by force or threat as a condition for allowing construction to proceed is a criminal act.

The Delta State Public and Private Properties Protection Law of 2018 was specifically enacted to address this problem. The law explicitly criminalizes the collection of any form of development levy by an unauthorized person or group. Any individual or organization found guilty of demanding, collecting, or threatening to obstruct a development site over unpaid 'deve fees' faces a minimum of two years imprisonment and/or a fine of one million Naira.

Property developers who receive such demands are strongly advised NOT to pay. Instead, you should document every attempt — including recordings where possible, written demands, and witness testimonies — and promptly report the incident to the nearest DSPPPPA office. The agency is empowered to deploy enforcement officers to your site and facilitate the arrest and prosecution of offenders.

It is also important to distinguish between illegal levy demands and legitimate community development agreements (CDAs), which are sometimes negotiated in writing between developers and recognized community leaders for specific, agreed-upon social contributions. These arrangements are legal only when both parties enter them voluntarily, without coercion, and the community body is properly constituted and recognizable under state law.