Property and prosperity: reforming landholding in Africa

How Africans access – or ‘own’ – their landholdings is a matter of profound importance for the continent’s future. It touches on social welfare as well as prospects for economic development. This policy briefing provides an overview of the land question, drawing heavily on the Country Review Reports (CRRs) of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). It argues that weak property rights are a major problem for Africa, but cautions against an assumption that full titling is an immediate solution. Rather, drawing on existing informal rights regimes in Africa – and gradually building formalised systems on this basis – offers a more promising avenue for creating effective and durable systems of property rights aligned with the continent’s realities.

Recommendations:

enhance property rights through informal mechanisms that recognise the capacity and financial limitations of African states. Universal formal titling may not at this point be feasible, but it is a worthwhile long-term aspiration
improve the capacity of African states to manage the administrative complexities of landholding and the gradual adoption of formal titles
invest in support for rural economies, with an emphasis on agriculture, with a view to boosting their productivity
research and understand the complex political economy of landholding – land retains a great deal of conflict potential. Policy approaches must be mindful of and sensitive to this