Accra real estate: Ghana land law, buying, renting, licensed agents and traps to avoid

In Accra, you rarely buy land outright. Most land belongs to stools, skins, clans or families, which cannot create a freehold on it and grant leases instead. A non-citizen can hold a lease of no more than 50 years, under Article 266 of the 1992 Constitution and section 10 of the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036). Before paying anything, have an official search done at the Lands Commission, which must issue its report within 14 days of payment of the fees, then register the deed: an unregistered instrument has no effect. If you rent, the Rent Act, 1963 makes it an offence to demand more than six months' rent in advance, and the Rent Control Department announced enforcement operations in 2026. Imonga publishes no prices for Accra because it has no listings in Ghana; as of 14 September 2026, the site does list 41 property developments and 33 professionals active in Ghana.

Accra property prices: why this page does not give any

We give no rents and no prices by neighbourhood, because we have nothing solid to base them on. As of 14 September 2026, Imonga has no sale or rental listings in Ghana, and we found no recent public statistics on Accra property prices that explain their method. Earlier versions of this page gave a price range for four-bedroom villas and described some neighbourhoods as "high end" or "good value" without any source: those claims have been removed.

What the site can show is the price lists developers publish for their new projects (see "On Imonga" below). These are asking prices set by the seller, often in US dollars, and they change from one month to the next: they are not market prices. For a current price, ask for a written, dated price list, compare several similar properties and, before buying, have the property valued by an independent valuation and estate surveyor.

Ghana's land tenure system: what you can actually acquire

The Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), assented to on 23 December 2020, brings most of Ghana's land law into one statute. It repealed several laws that sellers and older guides still cite, including the Land Registry Act, 1962 (Act 122), the Conveyancing Act, 1973 (NRCD 175) and the Land Title Registration Law, 1986 (PNDCL 152) (section 282). Documents issued under those laws remain valid (section 282(3)), but the rules that apply today are the 2020 ones. Section 1 lists six interests in land.

Interest in land	What it is	What it means for a buyer
Allodial title	The highest interest in land, held by the State, a stool or skin, a clan, a family or an individual (section 2)	Every other interest derives from it: find out who holds it
Customary law freehold	A perpetual, inheritable interest arising from a customary transaction (section 3)	Barred to non-citizens on stool and skin land since 22 August 1969
Common law freehold	A perpetual interest governed by common law (section 4)	Can no longer be created on stool and skin land since 22 August 1969
Usufructuary interest	The right of use held by members of the land-owning community (section 5)	Transfer to an outsider needs the written consent of the stool, skin, clan or family
Leasehold	An interest for a fixed term granted by the holder of a higher interest (section 6)	The way land is acquired on customary land, where no freehold can be created, and the only option open to non-citizens
Customary tenancy	A contract with the customary holder, with rent or crop sharing (section 7)	Mostly agricultural

Stool, skin, clan and family land

This land is held by the customary authority on behalf of its members, and no one can create a freehold on it, whatever the document calls it (section 9 of the Land Act; Article 267 of the 1992 Constitution for stool land). The chief, clan head or family head who manages it is a fiduciary and must account for it: breaching that duty carries a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 penalty units or 5 to 10 years' imprisonment, or both (section 13).

• Consistency with the planning scheme. The Constitution bars any disposal or development of stool land unless the Regional Lands Commission has certified that it is consistent with the area's development plan (Article 267(3)). Ask for proof of that certification.
• The Customary Land Secretariat. Every land-owning stool, skin, clan or family must set one up (section 14). It records customary transactions, lists who has capacity to grant land in its area and provides search facilities (section 15).
• Oral grants. They can be recorded in writing using the form in the Act, signed by the grantor and certified by a court registrar or a Land Registrar; such a record is exempt from stamp duty (section 37).
• A change of chief. It does not affect grants made by the previous chief (section 183). A new chief who tries to resell a plot already granted has the law against him.

Foreigners and the diaspora: a 50-year lease at most

A non-citizen cannot hold a freehold in Ghana, and any document that tries to give one is void (Article 266 of the Constitution; section 10(1) and (2) of the Land Act). Nor can a non-citizen be granted a lease of more than 50 years at any one time (Article 266; section 10(6)). Marrying a Ghanaian citizen or going into partnership with one changes nothing (section 10(9)), and a company in which non-citizens hold more than 40% of the equity is treated as a non-citizen (section 10(10)).

For the diaspora, it all comes down to citizenship. A citizen of Ghana may hold another citizenship (section 16 of the Citizenship Act, 2000 (Act 591)) and is then treated as a citizen. Someone of Ghanaian origin who no longer holds Ghanaian citizenship is a non-citizen under these laws: check your status before negotiating the length of a lease. For citizens, we found no general cap on lease length in either the Constitution or the Land Act; the often-quoted "99 years" does not appear in them and is a matter for the lease itself.

Public land

Occupying public land gives no rights, however long it lasts, and unlawfully selling public land carries a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 penalty units or 7 to 15 years' imprisonment, or both (section 236). If the official search shows that the plot belongs to the State or was acquired by it, do not buy it from a private person.

Buying in Accra: steps and checks

1. Identify the seller and where their rights come from. Ask for the document by which they acquired the plot, the site plan and their ID. On customary land, check with the Customary Land Secretariat that the person has capacity to grant. If the property was bought during a marriage, the seller cannot dispose of it without the written consent of their spouse (section 47).
2. Do the official search at the Lands Commission. The application is a letter plus two copies of the site plan, edged pink, with visible grid values and drawn to a scale of 1:2500 or another standard scale, according to the Lands Commission's search page. The report is issued within 14 days of payment of the fees and is presumed conclusive of what it states (sections 130 and 222); it covers registered instruments and pending applications for registration on the same land (section 222(3)).
3. Have the boundaries checked on the ground by a surveyor, so that the pillars match the site plan used for the search.
4. Have a lawyer draft the deed. A conveyance can only be prepared by a legal practitioner (section 33). The contract must be in writing and signed (section 34), and a transfer that is not in writing and signed by both parties confers no interest (section 35).
5. Pay in a traceable way. If a broker is involved, they cannot accept cash: payment must be by cheque, bank transfer, bank draft or electronic money transfer (section 45 of the Real Estate Agency Act).
6. Pay stamp duty. An instrument that should be stamped and is not will not be accepted for registration (section 165), and the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) points out that it cannot be admitted in evidence in court.
7. Obtain a REAC transaction certificate. The Real Estate Agency Act provides that a transaction is not complete without it and that the Lands Commission shall not register the property without it (section 47). Ask your lawyer how this requirement is applied to your file.
8. Register the deed promptly. An instrument executed after the Act came into force has no effect until it is registered (section 227), and rights rank in the order in which instruments are presented to the Registry, except in cases of fraud or notice (section 229). In a title registration district, the instrument must be presented within three months of execution or a late fee applies (section 133); the registered proprietor receives a land certificate (section 125), and the entry in the register is conclusive evidence of title (section 111).

Item	Published amount	Source
Official or administrative search, Greater Accra, residential or commercial plot up to 0.5 hectare (1 acre)	GH₵237.50	Lands Commission, undated online fee schedule
Land certificate search (Land Registration Division)	GH₵163	Lands Commission, same schedule
Stamp duty on a sale	0.25% up to GH₵10,000; 0.5% above GH₵10,000 and below GH₵50,000; 1% above GH₵50,000	Stamp Duty Act, 2005 (Act 689), as amended in 2008; the GRA confirms a range of 0.25% to 1%
REAC transaction certificate, sale	GH₵125	REAC FAQs
REAC fee for a purchase by a foreign national	cedi equivalent of US$250	REAC FAQs
Registration fees, lawyer's and surveyor's fees	not published here: ask for a written quote	none

The Lands Commission amounts come from its fees and charges page, published online as section 279 of the Land Act requires; the page is undated, so check it on the day you file. Stamp duty rates come from the consolidated text of the Stamp Duty Act. The list of exemptions reproduced by the GRA exempts a transfer of a home by a builder of residential accommodation who has registered that business with the tax authority: ask the developer whether this applies. A seller who makes a gain must also declare it to the GRA; the GRA's capital gains tax page is undated and gives conflicting indications of the rate, so we do not quote one.

The traps: land guards, double sales and disputed land

Land guards

The Land Act targets people who claim control over land without any interest in it, extort money from owners or stop them from building: 5 to 15 years' imprisonment, and 10 to 15 years for anyone who uses force, violence or intimidation against a lawful owner (section 12). A person with an interest in the land can ask the court for a restraining order, and for an injunction even when the trespasser's name is unknown. Never pay "access fees" or "guarding fees" to reach your own plot: report it to the police.

Double sales

Granting the same plot to more than one person, or granting land without title or authority, carries a fine of 7,500 to 15,000 penalty units or 7 to 15 years' imprisonment, or both (section 277(2)). A conviction will not give you your money back. What protects you is the official search before paying and presenting your deed for registration quickly, since the first instrument presented takes priority (section 229).

Hidden encumbrances and false plans

A seller who conceals an instrument or encumbrance, or falsifies a plan, is liable for damages and faces 5 to 10 years' imprisonment; a professional who knowingly helps is also liable for damages (section 72). The official search and the surveyor's check exist to uncover these problems before you sign.

Family land sold by one member

A single family member or occupant cannot transfer family land or a right of use to an outsider alone: the group's written consent is required (section 5(2)). Ask who is authorised, as recorded by the Customary Land Secretariat, and make sure that person signs the deed.

Public or disputed land

Land that belongs to the State cannot be bought from a private person (section 236). Disputed land may carry a caveat on the register (section 184): if the search reveals one, pay nothing until a lawyer has looked into it.

Agents, brokers and developers: the REAC licence

Under the Real Estate Agency Act, 2020 (Act 1047), assented to on 29 December 2020, no one may provide real estate agency services or act as a real estate broker or agent without a licence from the Real Estate Agency Council (REAC) (section 22). The Act covers sales and tenancies of one year or more (section 1).

• Who can be licensed. Someone who passes the Council's examination, a valuation and estate surveyor registered with the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, a lawyer licensed to practise, or a non-resident licensed in their own country (section 24). An agent must be affiliated to a licensed broker (section 43).
• What a broker must do. Display the licence and fees at the place of business (section 41), give each party a copy of the agreement (section 44), keep client money in a separate account (section 46), refuse cash (section 45) and disclose any defect in the property to the seller (section 48).
• Penalties. Advertising as a broker or agent without a licence, or carrying out a transaction without one, carries a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 penalty units or 5 to 10 years' imprisonment, or both (section 54).
• Developers. According to the REAC FAQs, a developer's sales department must work under the supervision of a licensed broker, and each of its sales agents needs an agent's licence. REAC also says it monitors advertisements on online platforms.

To check a name, REAC offers a public registry search on its website, by name or licence number, for individuals and for firms. On 14 September 2026, the website dashboard showed 196 licences, including 142 brokers, 32 agents and 21 firms. The regime is new: anyone who says they are "licensed" should be able to give you a licence number you can find in that registry.

The Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA) is a trade association of developers. Its about page presents membership as a mark of seriousness and says the association can act as a referee for customer complaints against members. Membership is not a licence, and we found no public list of members.

Renting in Accra: tenancy, rent advance and Rent Control

The Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), in its consolidated version, applies to all premises in Ghana, with a few exceptions such as government housing let to public officers (section 1).

• Six months' advance at most. Demanding, as a condition of granting or renewing a tenancy, more than one month's rent in advance for a monthly tenancy, or more than six months' rent in advance for a tenancy of more than six months, is an offence (section 25(5)).
• No key money. A landlord cannot demand any consideration, in money or in kind, for granting or renewing a tenancy (section 25(1)(b)).
• Agent's commission is capped at 5% of one year's rent (section 25(1)(c)).
• Rent card and receipts. For a monthly tenancy, the landlord must issue a rent card within seven days, showing both parties' names and addresses and the rent (section 20), and a written receipt for every payment (section 33).
• No eviction without a court order. Recovering possession requires an order of the Rent Magistrate or a court, on limited grounds: rent unpaid more than one month after it fell due, breach of the tenancy, nuisance, or the landlord reasonably needing the premises as a home for themselves or their family, among others (section 17).
• Sub-letting. For a monthly tenancy, it requires the landlord's written consent (section 22).

A worked example: for a rent of GH₵5,000 a month on a two-year tenancy, the landlord can ask for no more than GH₵30,000 in advance, and an agent's commission cannot exceed GH₵3,000 (5% of GH₵60,000). For a lease of up to three years, stamp duty is 1% of the rent for the term where that rent exceeds GH₵50 (Stamp Duty Act), which is GH₵1,200 on GH₵120,000: have the GRA confirm the figure.

For landlords, tax on rental income is 8% for residential premises and 15% for commercial premises, payable within 30 days of receiving the rent, according to the GRA. A tenancy of one year or more arranged through an intermediary also falls under the Real Estate Agency Act: a licensed agent, and a REAC rental transaction certificate, listed at GH₵75 in its FAQs.

What the Rent Control Department does

Rent Officers can assess the recoverable rent, investigate complaints from landlords and tenants and prosecute offences before the Rent Magistrate (section 5). According to Pulse Ghana (23 June 2026), Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku announced a uniformed task force of the Police, the GRA, Immigration and Rent Control to inspect houses, hostels, containers, stores and high-rise buildings, including at weekends, targeting practices such as excessive rent advances.

A new rent law, not yet passed

A reform is being prepared but had not been passed as of 14 September 2026, based on the sources we found. The Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources notes that a revised Rent Bill approved by Cabinet was not passed before the 8th Parliament expired. At a stakeholder dialogue on 28 November 2025, Minister Kenneth Gilbert Adjei said the new law would limit excessive rent advances and empower the Rent Control Department to set standard rent ceilings; the length of the rent advance was one of the issues still under discussion. On 26 June 2026, he told Parliament, as reported by Rainbow Radio, that the government intends to repeal the Rent Act, 1963 and the Rent Control Law, 1986 (PNDCL 138), and that the final draft would go to Cabinet before being laid in Parliament. Until then, the six-month rule in the Rent Act stands.

Finding an apartment for rent in Accra

• Ask the agent for their REAC licence number and check it in the registry.
• View the property before paying anything, and do not hand over "viewing fees" in cash.
• Get the rent, the term, the advance (no more than six months on a tenancy of more than six months) and the charges you are responsible for written into the tenancy agreement.
• Insist on a receipt for every payment and, on a monthly tenancy, a rent card.
• If a landlord demands more advance than the law allows or threatens eviction, go to the Rent Control Department office.

Dollars or cedis: the Bank of Ghana rule

The cedi is the only legal tender in Ghana. In its Notice No. BG/GOV/SEC/2025/26 of 27 August 2025, the Bank of Ghana reminds the public that under the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 (Act 723), no resident of Ghana may, unless licensed or authorised by the Bank, price, advertise, invoice, receive or make payment in foreign currency, and it names the sale and rental of real estate specifically. Foreign currency invoices may be issued only to expatriates (foreign nationals) or non-residents, with the proceeds paid into a Foreign Exchange Account with a licensed bank, at an exchange rate that reflects the market.

Many developers still quote prices in dollars, including those whose price lists appear on Imonga. If you live in Ghana, ask for a price and an invoice in cedis. If you are a non-resident or an expatriate paying in dollars, make sure the payment goes into the seller's foreign exchange account with a licensed bank, and keep proof of the transfers for registration and the REAC certificate.

On Imonga: new developments and professionals in Ghana

As of 14 September 2026, Imonga lists 41 property developments in Ghana: 40 in the Greater Accra Region and 1 near Takoradi. Twenty-four are selling, 7 under construction, 7 completed, 1 sold out, 1 in pre-sale and 1 at the planning stage. They include 20 apartment buildings, 6 gated communities, 4 new towns, 3 housing estates and 2 plot subdivisions, plus office, mixed-use, industrial and leisure schemes. The listings are compiled from public information: developers' websites and brochures, or press articles.

Area (address given on the listing)	Developments
Airport Residential Area	7
Appolonia City, between Oyibi and Afienya (including 2 listings describing the new town as a whole)	7
Adenta, Pantang, Ashaley Botwe and East Legon Hills	5
Airport City and Airport West	4
Cantonments	4
East Legon	4
Ridge and North Ridge	3
Tema Community 25	2
North Labone and Labadi	2
Tetteh Quarshie	1
Kwabenya	1
Western Region, near Takoradi	1

Twenty-four listings show a "from" price, mostly in dollars. These are developers' asking prices, not market prices, and they go out of date: on 14 September 2026 we compared several listings with developers' websites and updated those that had changed.

• Trasacco Park, on Pantang-Abokobi Road (Adenta Municipality), by Trasacco: the listing matches the project website, which quotes 30 m² studios from US$53,500 and 97.5 m² three-bedroom apartments from US$153,000, with a US$30,000 deposit followed by construction-linked payments. The website still showed Phase One "opening Q2 2026": ask where construction actually stands.
• Akaya by Trasacco, in Pantang: the project website quotes two-bedroom apartments of 115.5 m² from US$185,500, three-bedroom townhomes from US$265,000 and four-bedroom townhomes from US$325,500, with Phase One opening in February 2026.
• Legato Heights, in Ridge, by VAAL Real Estate: the developer's website says "starting from $125,000 (VAT inclusive)". For Agora, near the airport, it says US$128,000.
• Nova Ridge, in Appolonia City: 700 serviced plots on 90 acres according to both the listing and the project page. The project page quotes 80 by 50 ft plots from US$44,081.30, with outright payment, instalments over 12 to 36 months or a mortgage of up to 15 years.

Take away the method rather than the figures: for any development, ask for the current price list, the payment schedule, proof of title to the land it is built on, and the REAC licence number of the broker supervising the sale. To prepare a mortgage, the financing calculator estimates a monthly payment from the price, deposit, rate and term you enter.

The professional directory has 33 active profiles for Ghana: 21 developers, 9 agencies and 3 listing platforms. Twelve carry Imonga's "verified" badge, which is not a REAC licence. Among them, Broll Ghana Limited appears in REAC's register of firms (licence REAC/2026/F/0002, valid until 19 February 2027); the directory profile is in the name of the Broll group, and we have not checked the legal identity of the two entities. For diaspora buyers purchasing from abroad, our article on investing in Ghana property from the diaspora complements this guide, and the most common property scams are covered in a separate article.

Who to contact

Need	Contact
Official search, registration, land certificate	Lands Commission (Public and Vested Lands Management Division, Land Registration Division)
Authority to grant customary land, record of customary transactions	The Customary Land Secretariat of the stool, skin, clan or family
Drafting the conveyance, legal checks	A lawyer (legal practitioner), the only person allowed to prepare the conveyance
Agent or broker licence, transaction certificate, complaints	Real Estate Agency Council (REAC)
Excessive rent advance, dispute with a landlord	Rent Control Department
Stamp duty, rent tax, capital gains	Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)
Foreign currency payments	Your licensed bank; Bank of Ghana rules
Property valuation	A valuation and estate surveyor registered with the Ghana Institution of Surveyors

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner buy land in Accra?

Not outright. Article 266 of the Constitution and section 10 of the Land Act bar non-citizens from holding a freehold and cap their leases at 50 years at any one time. Marrying a Ghanaian does not change this, and a company more than 40% owned by non-citizens is treated as a non-citizen. A Ghanaian with dual citizenship remains a citizen and is not affected.

How much rent advance can a landlord demand in Accra?

No more than six months for a tenancy of more than six months, and one month for a monthly tenancy, under section 25(5) of the Rent Act, 1963. Demanding more is an offence, and the Rent Control Department says it is enforcing the rule in 2026. A new rent law is being drafted, but as of 14 September 2026 we found no source showing it has been passed.

How do I do a Lands Commission search?

Submit an application letter and two copies of the site plan, edged pink, drawn to scale with grid values. The Lands Commission must issue its report within 14 days of payment; its online schedule lists GH₵237.50 for a residential or commercial plot of up to one acre in Greater Accra. The report shows registered instruments and pending applications on the land.

How much does property cost in Accra?

We do not publish prices: Imonga has no listings in Ghana, and we found no recent public statistics, with a stated method, on prices by neighbourhood. The price lists for new developments on Imonga are developers' asking prices, often in dollars and sometimes out of date. For a current price, ask for a dated price list, compare several properties and have the property valued before you buy.

How do I check a real estate agent's licence in Ghana?

Ask for their licence number and look it up in the Real Estate Agency Council's public registry, which can be searched by name or licence number for individuals and firms. Under the Real Estate Agency Act, 2020, practising without a licence carries 5 to 10 years' imprisonment or a fine. An agent must also be affiliated to a licensed broker and cannot accept cash.

Can I pay for property in US dollars in Ghana?

Not if you are resident. In its notice of 27 August 2025, the Bank of Ghana says that pricing, invoicing or paying for the sale or rental of real estate in foreign currency is prohibited without its authorisation. Only expatriates and non-residents may be invoiced in foreign currency, with payment into a foreign exchange account at a licensed bank.

Sources

Pages and texts consulted on 14 September 2026.

• Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), Parliament of Ghana repository: interests in land (sections 1 to 9), non-citizens (section 10), land guards (section 12), customary land (sections 13 to 20 and 37), transfers (sections 32 to 35, 47 and 72), registration and searches (sections 111, 125, 130, 133, 165, 222, 227 and 229), public land (section 236), offences (section 277), repeals (section 282).
• Constitution of Ghana, 1992, revised 1996 (Constitute Project): land ownership by non-citizens (Article 266), stool land (Article 267).
• Citizenship Act, 2000 (Act 591), NATLEX: dual citizenship (section 16).
• Lands Commission, official or administrative search and fees and charges: application requirements, GH₵237.50 for a Greater Accra search, GH₵163 for a land certificate search.
• Stamp Duty Act, 2005 (Act 689), consolidated with Act 764 of 2008: rates on sales and leases.
• GRA, stamp duty: 0.25% to 1% range, unstamped documents inadmissible, exemptions. GRA, rent income tax: 8% and 15%, payment within 30 days. GRA, capital gains tax: filing obligation (rate not quoted).
• Real Estate Agency Act, 2020 (Act 1047), Parliament of Ghana repository: licensing (sections 22 to 24), broker obligations (sections 41 to 48), offences (section 54).
• REAC FAQs and home page (access to the public registry): developers, online advertising, fees, number of licences, register of firms.
• GREDA, about the association.
• Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), consolidated version (Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa): application (section 1), Rent Officers (section 5), recovery of possession (section 17), rent cards (section 20), offences and rent advance (section 25), receipts (section 33).
• Pulse Ghana, Rent Control task force (23 June 2026).
• Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, rent dialogue on the revised bill (28 November 2025).
• Rainbow Radio, Minister's statement to Parliament (26 June 2026).
• Bank of Ghana, Notice No. BG/GOV/SEC/2025/26 of 27 August 2025: ban on foreign currency pricing and payments, exception for expatriates and non-residents.
• Developer websites: Trasacco Park, Akaya by Trasacco, VAAL Real Estate, Nova Ridge (Appolonia City).
• Imonga data: 0 listings in Ghana, 41 developments and 33 professionals in Ghana, taken from the site's API on 14 September 2026.