How does land registration work in Ivory Coast?

Registration Steps (Decree No. 2023-238 of April 5, 2023)

Decree No. 2023-238 modernizes the registration procedures for rural land domain properties, superseding the colonial land decree of July 26, 1932.

1. Registration Request submitted to the Director General of AFOR (Agence Foncière Rurale / Rural Land Agency)
2. Technical File prepared by an approved licensed surveyor with digital file compatible with IDUFCI
3. On-Site Inspection by a sworn state surveyor (margin of error: 0 to 99 cm for at least 1/10th of boundary markers)
4. Land Notice : public notice published and posted (village, municipal office, sub-prefecture)
5. Contestation Period of 3 months (in case of opposition, mediation by CVGFR for 1 month, then judicial proceedings if unsuccessful)
6. Rural Land Ownership Decree signed by the minister or prefect, published in the Official Journal
7. Registration in the Land Register by the land registrar (physical page and digital page)

Registration Fees (Article 11)

• Initial registration (Ivorian nationals/public entities) : 300 FCFA per hectare
• Registration in the name of the State (non-eligible parties) : 100 FCFA per hectare
• Title transfer : 500 FCFA per hectare + fixed fee of 3,000 FCFA
• Merger/subdivision : 1,000 FCFA per hectare + fixed fee of 3,000 FCFA

Eligibility (Article 4)

Only the State, public entities, and individuals of Ivorian nationality may register in their own name. Foreigners and private legal entities must register in the name of the State, which grants an emphyteutic lease.

Mandatory Deadline (Article 43)

Holders of Land Certificates have a maximum of 10 years to initiate registration formalities. After this deadline, the State proceeds with ex officio registration at the expense of the defaulting owner.