(Ecofin Agency) - • Land management remains a key challenge in Africa, limiting property and credit access
• Fewer than 20% of Sub-Saharan countries had digital land registers in 2020
• World Bank urges legal reforms, digital tools, and regional cooperation

Land management continues to pose a major hurdle for many African countries, limiting access to property ownership and financial services. A number of these countries are considering digital tools to modernize their land registers.

The digitization of land registers, coupled with digital policy frameworks, are crucial elements for digital transformation and economic growth, particularly in developing countries. Historically, the establishment and operation of land registers have been costly and lengthy processes. However, digital technologies now allow for low-cost operations and wider dissemination.

According to the report Capitalizing on Digital Transformation to Enhance the Effectiveness of Property Institutions, published by the World Bank in April 2025, digital land registers are pillars of the state’s capability and the vitality of the private market. They are essential for economic growth by underpinning the operation of the market and enhancing the value of land. They also secure land ownership by guaranteeing solidly recorded rights that can be mortgaged or transferred at low cost.

By making trustworthy information about property rights public, these registers reduce transaction costs and uncertainty. They also support dispute resolution by providing essential data to courts to settle disagreements and expedite recovery procedures. Finally, they enhance public services by helping to optimize land taxation, prevent fraud, and strengthen urban regulation.

Benefits of Digitization

Digital technologies greatly improve the operational efficiency, quality, and reliability of registers. They facilitate data access, increase user numbers, and broaden the scope of potential applications.

Operational efficiency is enhanced through digitizing the processes of acquisition, processing, and linking of data. Expanded access to information allows more economic players to utilize it, as evidenced by the quadrupling of the number of countries with digital registers between 2005 and 2020, according to the report.

Big data analysis, combined with artificial intelligence, offers new horizons for economic decision-making. Digitization also reduces transaction costs by simplifying registration procedures. It decreases the need for intermediaries, improves market liquidity, and facilitates access to credit by allowing banks to more easily examine property guarantees.

Lastly, digital registers augment transparency and competition, as seen in China where a 2007 reform bolstered the efficiency of industrial land auctions.

Key Components and Challenges of Digital Systems

To maximize the benefits of digital registers, certain conditions must be met. The quality and extent of registers are paramount, as is the existence of regulatory frameworks guaranteeing the legal validity of digital evidence. Data transparency, efficient management of public and private land, and nationwide coverage are also essential.

Interoperability between registers and land surveys, as well as digital authentication of actions, are key elements in reducing costs and preventing fraud. Despite these advances, Africa still faces significant challenges.

The African Context and Persistent Gaps

As of 2020, the report reveals, fewer than 20% of Sub-Saharan African countries had integrated digital land registers, compared to over 75% in Central and Eastern Europe. The adoption of electronic signatures by public officials is particularly low, with only 10% in West and Central Africa, and 0% in East and South Africa.

Interoperability between land institutions remains limited, and trust in registers is lacking. Access to mortgage credit is hampered by the scarcity of digital data on mortgages, which is available in just 10% of African countries.

Lastly, the coverage of digital registers and land surveys is insufficient, with rates below 40% in many countries.

Political Implications and Next Steps

To bridge these gaps, African governments must prioritize the digitization of land registers by bolstering trust through transparent and verifiable systems. The adoption of electronic signatures, improvement of access to mortgage data, and development of digital identifiers are urgent measures.

Transparency of historical prices and regional cooperation also represent strategic levers. Moreover, the World Bank report recommends prioritizing digitization in urban areas, where demographic pressure, land value, and governance issues are highest.

In conclusion, digitizing land registers offers vast potential to stimulate economic development in Africa. However, its success will largely depend on political will and the implementation of robust regulatory frameworks to maximize the benefits.