By Chi Atanga Nixon / RELUFA
On 20 February 2026, Cameroon’s Minister of State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure, Henri Eyebe Ayissi signed a new Circular clarifying the modalities for obtaining Attestations of Recognition of Customary Land Rights and Attestations of Peaceful Enjoyment of Land. According to the circular, as from 1 April 2026, third-degree traditional chiefs and urban quarter heads are authorized to issue the above-mentioned documents to secure customary land ownership. This marks what the government presents as a major reform in land governance. According to officials in the ministry, this reform is the result of three years of reflection and pilot testing carried out with the support of GIZ-ProPFR (Programme d’Appui à la Promotion du Foncier Rural) to explore innovative approaches to securing land use rights. As it stands, , this recent development deserves both recognition and scrutiny.
The new circular must be understood within the broader framework of Cameroon’s land legislation, notably the 1974 Land Ordinances (Ordinance No. 74-1 of 6 July 1974 establishing rules governing land tenure and Ordinance No. 74-2 establishing rules governing state lands).
Under the 1974 regime:
- All lands not registered and without a land title are generally considered part of the national domain.
- Customary land rights are recognized in principle but remain weak unless formalized through land registration.
- The land title remains the only definitive proof of ownership.
The introduction of attestations of recognition of customary land rights and peaceful enjoyment does not amend the 1974 Ordinances. Rather, it operates as an administrative mechanism within the existing legal structure.
This raises important legal questions:
- What is the exact legal standing of these attestations?
- Can they be challenged in court?
- Will administrative authorities treat them as strong presumptive evidence or merely supporting documentation
1. Recognition of an Intermediate Land Document
One of the innovation in this circular is the recognition of intermediate documents, positioned between informal customary claims and the highly complex and costly land title.
Two key documents are now formally recognized:
- Attestation of Recognition of Customary Land Rights that certifies that a person holds customary land rights over a given parcel.
- Attestation of Peaceful Enjoyment of Land that confirms that a person has carried out developments, investments, or constructions on a parcel of land.
According to the circular, these attestations are:
- Free of charge;
- Issued locally by third-degree traditional chiefs or urban quarter heads;
- Designed to be accessible to rural and peri-urban populations.
This could be transformative for communities historically excluded from formal land registration systems but will they stand the rigors of the existing land law?
2. Recognized Proof in Case of Land Disputes?
The circular provides that these documents may serve as evidence in land disputes before traditional and administrative authorities.
In a country like Cameroon facing increasing land conflicts linked to agro-industrial expansion, mining projects, infrastructure development, and urban growth, documentary proof of customary rights may strengthen community claims. However, there remains the need to clarify:
- The legal weight of these attestations vis-à-vis formal land titles;
- The mechanisms for verification and oversight;
- The procedures to prevent abuses.
3. A Tool for Fair Compensation in Expropriation Processes? The Attestation of Peaceful Enjoyment may serve as proof of investments made on land, particularly in cases of expropriation for public interest or concession allocation. Given Cameroon’s ambition to become an emerging country by 2035, as outlined in its Growth and Employment Strategy Paper (DSCE), land is under increasing pressure from agricultural, infrastructure, and extractive projects. Yet, past research has shown that between 1.6 and 2 million hectares were earmarked for agro-industrial exploitation as early as 2013, often without transparent procedures or meaningful community consultation. Documentation is important, but it must go hand in hand with structural reforms in transparency and accountability.
But, can it serve as a Strategic Solution for Smallholders Under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
One may be tempted to assume that the reform may help small cocoa producers comply with the European Union’s new deforestation regulation (EUDR) since henceforth to access EU markets, producers must demonstrate legal use of the land on which cocoa is grown. But most smallholders in Cameroon lack formal land titles due to cost and bureaucratic barriers. The new attestations could therefore serve as practical evidence of land use rights.
This could help prevent small producers from being excluded from international markets. But it remains to be seen whether both exporters and European buyers will treat these documents as such.
4. Potential Instrument for Women’s Land Security?
In many customary settings, women, especially widows or divorced women, face difficulties proving inheritance or allocation of land. The Attestation of Recognition of Customary Land Rights could strengthen their legal position by providing written proof of land allocation. However, safeguards must ensure that:
- Women can independently request these documents;
- Traditional authorities apply the rules without discrimination;
- Administrative authorities recognize the attestations in practice.
Emerging Concern: The Urban Chiefdom Question
While the reform may look promising on paper, it may generate new conflicts, particularly in urban centers like Douala, Yaoundé etc.
A key concern is that:
- Many third-degree chiefs in urban areas are not original native people to the land they administer;
- Urban neighbourhoods often sit on historically contested customary territories;
- Migrant-dominated quarters in urban centres may have layered land claims involving host communities and settlers.
Therefore, empowering third-degree chiefs in such contexts could:
- Create overlapping or competing attestations;
- Exacerbate disputes between original native people and non-native people or communities;
- Encourage opportunistic issuance of documents for financial or political gain;
- Undermine the authority of higher traditional structures or native custodians of the land.
In cities like Douala and Yaoundé, where land pressure is extremely high due to economic expansion, this risk is particularly acute and these concerns cannot be underestimated, if not the, reform could unintentionally:
- Institutionalize contested authority structures;
- Trigger ethnicized land tensions;
- Multiply litigation instead of reducing it.
Strong Safeguards Are Essential
This ministerial circular could be recognized as:
A first administrative recognition of customary land realities;
A potential protection mechanism for vulnerable populations;
A strategic support tool for small producers and women.
However, clear oversight mechanisms must regulate the issuance of attestations.
A centralized registry or verification system may be necessary to avoid duplication
Urban-specific safeguards must address native land custodianship concerns
Community participation and transparency must be strengthened
Most importantly, these attestations must not become a substitute for the awaited comprehensive land reform.
Conclusion
The 20 February 2026 ministerial circular marks a significant moment in Cameroon’s land governance evolution. For rural populations, small farmers, and vulnerable groups, it may represents a step toward land security if the existing challenges are addressed. But without proper safeguards, especially in complex urban settings the reform could also generate unintended tensions.
The path forward is clear: Cameroon must move toward inclusive, transparent, and accountable land governance, where development ambitions align with the protection of customary rights, indigenous claims, and social cohesion. The reform opens a door but whether it leads to security or new disputes will depend entirely on how it is implemented.
