Foreign Ownership Restrictions (50-Year Leasehold Cap)
RestrictiveGhana's 1992 Constitution prohibits non-citizens from holding land freehold and caps their interest at a 50-year leasehold. Combined with complex land tenure, this makes title due diligence the most important step before investing.
- Non-citizens CANNOT acquire freehold land or any interest greater than a 50-year leasehold under the 1992 Constitution; the cap is 50 years (renewable), versus up to 99 years for Ghanaian citizens
- A registered leasehold held in a foreigner's own name is fully legitimate and gives enforceable rights that can be sold, inherited, or used as collateral
- Land tenure is complex, spanning state land, stool/skin (customary) land, and family land, each with different grantors and procedures
- Double-sale and disputed-title fraud is a recognized risk; a Lands Commission title search and independent legal due diligence are essential before any payment
- A non-citizen-controlled Ghanaian company remains subject to the same leasehold cap on land interests
- Title registration involves valuation, field inspection, and a one-month public notice period to allow objections before a Land Title Certificate is issued
