Legal reading of the circular of February 20, 2026
Land management in Cameroon is undergoing a notable evolution. Through a circular dated February 20, 2026, the land administration establishes increased involvement of traditional chiefdoms in procedures relating to the recognition and securing of land rights.
At the center of this system are two new administrative instruments: the Certificate of Recognition of Customary Land Rights (ARDFC) and the Certificate of Peaceful Enjoyment of Exploited or Residential Land (AJPTER). These documents constitute intermediate pieces in the process of obtaining a land title and aim to formalize, at a preliminary stage, the reality of occupation or exploitation on a plot belonging to the national domain.
The ARDFC aims to recognize the existence of customary land rights held by a community, a family, or some of their members. The AJPTER, for its part, certifies the peaceful and continuous occupation of land by an individual. The issuance of these certificates is entrusted to third-degree traditional chiefs, thus establishing their role as local authorities in the identification and regulation of land uses.
Read more Cameroon: access to the masses celebrated by Pope Leo XIV will be free
Progressively consolidated legal bases
The circular of February 20, 2026, is not an isolated initiative. It is part of a normative architecture built in recent years to more strictly regulate the recognition of customary rights.
Several texts form its foundations, notably the decree of April 23, 2008, relating to land use and construction, the 2022 circular prohibiting certificates of abandonment of customary rights in land registration procedures, as well as the 2024 circulars establishing the involvement of traditional authorities in registration procedures and instituting the Certificate of Possession of Administratively Recognized Customary Land Rights.
To these instruments is added the circular of December 2025 making it mandatory, in certain procedures, to produce a letter of non-objection issued by the territorially competent traditional chief.
A tool for securing and preventing conflicts
The ARDFC and AJPTER meet several operational objectives. They notably allow for the observation of the existence of customary rights or the effective development of a plot. They also provide the traditional chief with the necessary elements for issuing a letter of objection or non-objection in land procedures.
These certificates also contribute to facilitating the work of the consultative commission during registration operations and assist the departmental delegate of the Ministry of Domains, Cadastre, and Land Affairs in the preparation of the certificate of possession of customary rights.
The circular also highlights their utility in protecting vulnerable populations, identifying operators in cases of expropriation for public utility, as well as in georeferencing and the precise delimitation of the plots concerned.
A regulated and participatory procedure
Before any issuance, a series of preliminary steps is required. The procedure notably provides for informing the populations, publicity among neighbors and residents, the filing of a formal request with the traditional chief, and the constitution of an ad hoc commission responsible for verifying the situation of the land.
This commission proceeds with a site visit to observe the effective occupation or exploitation, verify the absence of land disputes, and perform the georeferencing of the plot. A memorandum of understanding between the applicant and the neighbors is then established, accompanied by a mapping of the land.
Read more SAEDEL 2026: Kribi becomes the showcase for dialogue on territorial development
Eligibility conditions and issuance of certificates
The ARDFC is intended for customary communities, family communities, or members with recognized customary rights. The AJPTER, for its part, concerns persons of Cameroonian nationality occupying or exploiting a plot for at least five years under peaceful conditions.
These certificates can only be issued for lands in the national domain already occupied or developed, excluding virgin or unexploited lands.
After receiving the file and issuing a receipt, the traditional chief has a period of fifteen days to examine the request. If the field verifications and the opinion of the enlarged commission are favorable, the certificate is signed and handed over to the applicant within an equivalent period.
Through this mechanism, the Cameroonian state intends to strengthen the traceability of customary rights while bringing the land administration closer to local realities. An evolution that could, in the long term, contribute to reducing land disputes, which are particularly numerous in the rural and peri-urban areas of the country.
Read more Land scandal in Olembé: land allocations in Paul Biya’s sights
