Government introduces 70% upfront payment policy for public land leases

The Government of Ghana has introduced a new policy requiring individuals and organisations seeking to lease public land to pay a significant portion of the land’s value upfront.

Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, announced the new framework during a press conference on March 11. The policy is aimed at improving transparency, increasing government revenue, and ensuring more efficient management of public land resources.

Under the revised arrangement, prospective lessees will be required to pay at least 70 percent of the assessed market value of a public land parcel as an upfront premium before gaining access to the land.

The remaining 30 percent will not be paid immediately but will instead be distributed across the lease period as ground rent.

The reform was developed jointly by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Lands Commission as part of broader efforts to strengthen land administration in the country.

Officials say the new payment framework is designed to ensure better value for state land assets, improve revenue generation, and promote the allocation of public lands in a manner that supports national economic development.