Real Estate & Construction
Land title, property transactions, construction contracts and development projects in Cameroon.
Overview
Real estate and construction in Cameroon demand particular legal care. Most land belongs to the state or national land, private ownership depends on registration of a land title (titre foncier) in the Land Book, and the land regime is administered under the 1974 land ordinances against the backdrop of Cameroon’s bijural system — where common law property concepts persist alongside the civil law framework. ALPs advises buyers, developers, lenders and contractors on the full lifecycle of property and construction projects: verifying title, structuring acquisitions and long leases, documenting construction works, taking security and resolving the disputes that arise when projects go wrong.
Talk to this teamWhat we advise on
Our team advises across the full spectrum of real estate & construction, with deep expertise in the following areas.
Land title due diligence and verification (livre foncier searches)
Acquisition and disposal of landed property
Long leases and land development structuring
Construction, engineering and EPC contracts
Property development and joint venture structures
Notarial deeds and land registration formalities
Real estate financing security (including OHADA security interests)
Construction disputes and delay claims
How we help
Title verification and acquisition
We conduct thorough land title due diligence — registry searches, chain-of-title review, encumbrance checks — and structure acquisitions and long leases, managing the notarial deeds, ministerial formalities and registration steps required to obtain or transfer a land title.
Development and structuring
We advise property developers and investors on project structures — including land-owning vehicles, joint ventures and pre-sale arrangements — and on the planning, environmental and regulatory consents that development projects require.
Construction contracts
We draft and negotiate construction, engineering and project management agreements — adapting international standard forms where appropriate — covering scope, variations, delays, penalties, retention and completion, with attention to the enforceability of each mechanism under Cameroonian law.
Real estate disputes and financing
We represent clients in land and construction disputes — boundary and title conflicts, defects, delays and termination — and advise lenders on the Cameroonian and OHADA security packages available for real estate finance.
Selected experience
Land tenure and title verification
Advised on land tenure and title verification matters connected to the firm’s published insight work on land registration and safe acquisition in Cameroon.
[CLIENT CONFIRMATION PENDING] Representative real estate and construction matters
Further representative property and construction matters are being compiled for publication with client approval.
Related industries
Related insights
All insightsInsolvency and Restructuring in the OHADA Zone: The AUPC Explained
The OHADA Uniform Act on Collective Insolvency Proceedings gives distressed companies in Cameroon and across the zone a structured path from prevention through safeguard to liquidation. We outline the framework creditors and borrowers should understand.
2026-06-22
guideLand and Real Estate in Cameroon: Title, Registration and Safe Acquisition
Land in Cameroon is governed by the 1974 land tenure ordinances, under which secure rights depend on registration and a land certificate. We explain the title system, the registration process and the checks that protect buyers and lenders.
2026-04-22
Frequently asked questions
How is land ownership regulated in Cameroon?
The framework rests on the 1974 land ordinances, which distinguish private property (evidenced by a registered land title — titre foncier) from state and national land. Private ownership depends on registration in the Land Book, and acquisition procedures differ between the civil law and common law regions. Rigorous title verification before any transaction is essential, and ALPs conducts full registry due diligence on every property mandate.
Can foreign investors acquire land in Cameroon?
Foreign individuals and foreign-owned companies can acquire land in Cameroon, but acquisitions are subject to statutory conditions and, in certain cases, prior administrative authorisation. Long leases of state land are a common alternative structure. We advise on the permitted routes and manage the authorisation and registration process end to end.
Speak to our team
Our lawyers are available to discuss your matter in confidence.