Buying land in Ghana safely from abroad

Last updated: 19 October 2026

Building a house back home is a dream for many of us. Sadly, land fraud is one of the most common ways Ghanaians abroad lose money: the same plot sold to several buyers, forged documents, family disputes, or land guards demanding payment after you have bought. This guide walks you through the checks to make before you pay a single cedi.

Who can own land in Ghana?

• Ghanaian citizens, including dual citizens, can acquire long leases and other interests in land.
• Non-citizens (for example a foreign spouse or a child with only a foreign passport) cannot hold freehold land. Under the 1992 Constitution they can hold a lease of up to 50 years, which can be renewed.
• If you are a Ghanaian by birth with another citizenship, make sure your Ghanaian citizenship is documented. Our guide to Ghana dual citizenship explains how.

Types of land and who sells it

In most of Ghana you don't buy land outright; you acquire a long lease from the owner (often 99 years for citizens), recorded in a document called an indenture.

Step-by-step: buying land safely

1. Hire your own lawyer, a member of the Ghana Bar Association, before you agree to anything. Never use the seller's lawyer.
2. Get a site plan of the exact plot, drawn by a licensed surveyor you choose yourself, not the seller's relative.
3. Do an official search at the Lands Commission. The search shows who owns the land, whether it has already been transferred, and whether there are disputes, court cases or other claims on it. In many regions you can now search online at onlineservices.lc.gov.gh: upload the site plan, pay the search fee by mobile money and receive the report by email.
4. Check the seller. For stool or family land, confirm who has the right to sell and that the required people sign. Ask neighbours and the local assembly whether there are disputes.
5. Visit the land (or have someone you trust visit it) and check the boundaries and pillars against the site plan.
6. Sign the indenture prepared by your lawyer, get any consent required, and pay stamp duty at the Ghana Revenue Authority.
7. Register the land at the Lands Commission and collect your land title certificate. Registration can take several months. Until it is done, your purchase is not fully protected.
8. Pay only through traceable channels (bank transfer or your lawyer's client account) and get an official receipt for every payment.

You will need your Ghana Card (or passport) and a TIN for registration. No Ghana Card yet? See how to get your Ghana Card from abroad.

Buying while you live abroad

• Use a specific power of attorney that covers only this purchase, not a general one. Your lawyer in Ghana can draft it.
• Sign it before a notary where you live, and have it authenticated as your lawyer instructs (usually through your Ghana Embassy or High Commission). It then has to be stamped or registered in Ghana.
• Never give a power of attorney to the seller or the seller's agent.
• Ask for photos and videos with dates of the land and the boundary pillars, and of every stage of building later on.
• Keep copies of every document outside Ghana as well, and store the originals safely.

Common scams and warning signs

• The same plot sold to several buyers. This is why the official search and quick registration matter.
• Forged documents: fake site plans, indentures or allocation letters. Insist on originals and certified copies, and check them with the Lands Commission.
• Land guards: groups who appear after you buy and demand money or block building. The Land Act 2020 (Act 1036) introduced tough penalties for this; report it to the police.
• "Too good to be true" prices and pressure to pay quickly in cash.
• Sellers who avoid a search or say "the Lands Commission is not necessary".
• Land on government or disputed areas, such as near roads, rivers or wetlands, which may be demolished later.

Moving back for good? Read our guides to shipping your household to Ghana and sending money home safely.

Frequently asked questions