Togo plans to revise its Land and Property Code, adopted on June 14, 2018, to strengthen property rights, improve access to land and modernize the management of state-owned land and property.
The proposed amendments, reviewed at a Cabinet meeting on November 6, 2026, aim to strengthen land tenure security, increase government revenue and create a more favorable environment for investment.
The proposed changes follow several years of land reforms. After adopting the 2018 code, Togo secured support from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) through a $35 million Threshold Program agreement signed in February 2019, or approximately CFAF 20 billion. The program included an $8 million land reform component, worth about CFAF 4.8 billion, known as the Land Reform to Accelerate Agricultural Productivity (LRAP) Project.
Launched in June 2022, the project sought to strengthen land rights, particularly in rural areas, by mapping land parcels, recognizing customary land rights and supporting pilot projects to help local communities secure land tenure.
According to a progress report published by Togolese authorities in March 2026, the project had mapped more than 37% of its target area before the MCC partnership was terminated in 2025. MCC funding ended on December 18, 2025, although Togolese authorities subsequently established arrangements to continue activities at the pilot sites.
The government has also restructured its land administration. In September 2025, it established the Agence nationale du domaine et du foncier (ANDF), a public agency with operational autonomy responsible for land administration and the management of state-owned property.
The agency, which began operations in October 2026, oversees cadastral records, property rights verification, land title issuance and the development of a national land information system.
Improving Tax Revenue and Attracting Investment
The proposed amendments would establish a national land observatory, digitize land administration procedures and strengthen protections for customary and rural land rights. Other measures aim to expand access to land for women and young people, protect agricultural land, curb speculation and make land disputes easier to resolve.
The reforms could also help increase government revenue. Better records of land parcels and their owners would allow authorities to track property transactions and ownership changes more effectively, potentially improving the collection of registration fees and property taxes.
Clearer land rights could also encourage private investment. Property disputes and multiple sales of the same plot can delay real estate, industrial and agricultural projects. A more transparent land administration system could reduce these risks and give investors greater confidence in property transactions.
For farmers and business owners, clearer property rights could also make it easier to use land as collateral when applying for loans, although access to financing would still depend on lenders' requirements.
With the 2018 code, the LRAP pilot projects and the launch of the ANDF, Togo has already laid much of the groundwork for reform. The challenge now is to deliver measurable improvements in land administration by securing rights to more land, reducing property disputes, making land ownership more accessible and equitable, and creating a more favorable environment for investment.
Esaïe Edoh