Property
1974 land ordinances vesting untitled land in the state
The 1974 ordinances divided land into private property, public property and national land, with national land administered by the state. Registration confers an indefeasible title, but most rural holdings remain customary and unregistered, which is the root of most land conflict.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — MINDCAF administers land; consultative boards hear customary claims and the Tribunal de Grande Instance decides title disputes.
- Deadline — Titre foncier application: publicity period of 30 days for objections
- Deadline — Expropriation compensation: assessed by a commission before possession
Governing law
- Ordonnance n° 74/01 fixant le régime foncier
- Ordonnance n° 74/02 fixant le régime domanial
- Décret n° 76/165 fixant les conditions d'obtention du titre foncier
In practice
The 1974 reform declared all unregistered land national land, converting customary occupation into a permission rather than a property right. Obtaining a titre foncier is the only route to a secure interest, and the cost and complexity of that process mean the great majority of Cameroonian land is held without one.