Property
2005-2006 land reform recognising local certificates alongside titled land
The 2005 land policy and Loi 2006-031 broke with the French presumption of state ownership of untitled land, recognising private untitled occupation and creating communal guichets fonciers that issue certificats foncierscheaper and faster than a full title. Foreign nationals cannot own land outright and use long leases instead.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Communal guichets fonciers issue certificates; the Service des Domaines registers titles; the courts hear disputes.
- Deadline — Certificat foncier: issued by the commune's guichet foncier after local verification
- Deadline — Investor leases: up to 99 years
Governing law
- Loi 2005-019 fixant les principes régissant les statuts des terres
- Loi 2006-031 sur le foncier privé non titré — certificats fonciers; guichets fonciers
- Loi 2007-036 — long leases for foreign investors
In practice
The 2005-2006 reform is one of the most studied land reforms in Africa because it abandoned the presumption of domanialité — that untitled land belongs to the state — and decentralised recognition of occupation to elected communes, making certification achievable for smallholders who could never have obtained a full title.