What is the ADU (Attestation de Droit d'Usage Coutumier / Customary Right of Use Certificate) in Ivory Coast?
The ADU (Attestation de Droit d'Usage Coutumier / Customary Right of Use Certificate) is the single, secure document that replaces the former Village Certificate as of January 1, 2025. Established by Decree No. 2021-784 and secured by the SIGFU (Decree No. 2021-862), it requires a triple signature (village chief, CVGFR president, developer) and a unique IDUFCI. The ADU is not a property title: it constitutes a provisional recognition opening the path to the ACD (Arrêté de Concession Définitive / Definitive Concession Decree) — the ACD published in the Land Register IS the Land Title. In practice, the time between ACD signature and its publication in the Land Register is often longer than the official 180 calendar days (BÂTIR N°004, 2022). Published ACD = published Land Title — same legal deed, two stages.
Definition complete
The 2025 Reform: End of the Village Certificate
As of January 1, 2025, the former Village Certificate has been replaced by the ADU (Attestation de Droit d'Usage Coutumier / Customary Right of Use Certificate), a single, secure, and legally recognized document. This reform aims to end fraud, double sales, and land disputes that characterized the old system.
The Two Founding Decrees
- Decree No. 2021-784 of December 8, 2021 (procedural framework): establishes the ADU as the unique attestation model for all subdivisions involving village communities. Its Article 31 provides for the massive creation of Land Titles upon approval of subdivision plans.
- Decree No. 2021-862 of December 15, 2021 (technological framework): establishes the SIGFU and equips the ADU with digital infrastructure. Each ADU is registered in the SIGFU with a unique IDUFCI and a security QR code.
Mandatory Tripartite Signature
The ADU must be signed by three entities to be valid:
- The village chief
- The president of the village land management committee (not to be confused with the CVGFR, the rural-domain body)
- The developer
Digital Security
- Secure printed document supplied by the administration
- Unique IDUFCI assigned to the lot (Decree No. 2019-221)
- Online authenticity verification via QR code
- Complete history in the SIGFU
What the ADU Provides and Its Limitations
The ADU constitutes a provisional recognition of customary rights and a bridge to the ACD (Arrêté de Concession Définitive / Definitive Concession Decree). It facilitates access to bank financing. However, it does not confer full ownership — only the ACD published in the Land Register (which materializes the Land Title, created by the CPFH during the ACD procedure) is definitive and unassailable. The ACD and the Land Title are not two ranked deeds: they are the same deed at two successive stages of the procedure.
What to Do After an ADU?
- Have the land surveyed and marked by an approved surveyor
- Prepare the file with digital documentation compatible with IDUFCI
- Submit to the Guichet Unique Foncier et de l'Habitat (GUFH / One-Stop Land & Housing Office)
- Obtain the ACD — once published in the Land Register, it IS the published Land Title
In practice: often longer between ACD signature and publication in the Land Register by the CPFH (Conservation de la Propriété Foncière et des Hypothèques, under the Ministry of Budget — not the MCLU). Reminder: the ACD published in the Land Register IS the published Land Title — same legal deed, two stages.
Exemple concret
Aminata acquired a plot in Songon in March 2025. Her ADU (Attestation de Droit d'Usage coutumier / Customary Right of Use Certificate) bears the triple signature (village chief, CVGFR president, land developer) and is registered in the SIGFU with a unique IDUFCI. By scanning the QR code, her notary was able to instantly verify the document's authenticity and the absence of double attribution.
Sources juridiques
Décret n° 2021-784 du 8 décembre 2021 (procédures de lotissement). Décret n° 2021-862 du 15 décembre 2021 (SIGFU). Décret n° 2019-221 du 13 mars 2019 (IDUFCI). Décret n° 2019-266 du 27 mars 2019 (CVGFR).
Questions frequentes
Is the old Village Certificate still valid?
How to verify the authenticity of an ADU (Attestation de Droit d'Usage coutumier / Customary Right of Use Certificate)?
Is an ADU (Customary Right of Use Certificate) sufficient to obtain a bank loan?
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Autres termes du glossaire
The Rural Land Agency (AFOR — Agence Foncière Rurale) is the public institution responsible for implementing rural land policy in Ivory Coast. It oversees land certification, registration of rural properties, and coordination of boundary demarcation and surveying operations.
Legal document drafted by a notary that formalizes the transfer of land ownership between a seller and a buyer. The notarized deed of sale is mandatory and confers authenticity on the transaction.
Legal entity that must be established with a minimum share capital of 2 million FCFA held by Ivorian nationals, holding an approval from the Minister responsible for Housing and a financial guarantee from a bank or insurance company.
The alienation price is the sum that the buyer must pay to the State to obtain the Definitive Concession (ACD — Arrêté de Concession Définitive) of urban land. Calculated by an ad hoc commission, it corresponds to the market value of the parcel according to the official schedule.
The Definitive Concession Decree (ACD — Arrêté de Concession Définitive) is a unilateral administrative act by which the State definitively grants urban land. It is signed by the Minister of Construction (in Abidjan) or by the Prefect (outside Abidjan). Once published in the Land Register by the CPFH, the ACD is itself opposable, unassailable and imprescriptible (ACD published = TF published). Official timeframe: 180 calendar days (BÂTIR N°004, 2022); often longer in practice.