Real estate in Cotonou and Benin: land titles, the ANDF, buying costs, leases and land traps

In Benin, only a land title (titre foncier) gives full ownership of a plot or a house (article 112 of the Land and State Property Code, as amended in 2017). Since the transition period ended on 14 August 2023, land can no longer be sold on a simple sale agreement: the sale must be preceded by the confirmation of land rights or, failing that, by a certificate of ownership (certificat d'appartenance) issued by the National Land and State Property Agency (ANDF) and valid for one year, and the deed goes through a notary. Transferring an already titled property is done online by the notary with the ANDF, which advertises a 72-hour turnaround, and the General Tax Code sets a 5% registration duty on the price. For rentals, Law No. 2022-30 of 20 December 2022 caps the deposit at three months' rent, the fee of an agent who only finds the home at half a month's rent, and yearly increases under a review clause at 2%. Imonga publishes no prices for Cotonou because it has no listings in Benin; as of 14 September 2026 the site lists 31 Beninese property professionals.

Property prices in Cotonou: why this page gives none

We give no rents by neighbourhood and no price per square metre. As of 14 September 2026, Imonga has no published listings and no new-build projects in Benin, and we found no recent public statistics on rents or sale prices in Cotonou that explain their method. Earlier versions of this page and of our article on Cotonou "opportunities" gave rent ranges for Cadjèhoun, land prices for Akpakpa and labels for neighbourhoods without any source: those figures and judgements have been removed.

The only public prices we quote are those an operator displays for its own homes, such as SImAU for the 20,000-homes programme (see below). For an existing property, compare similar homes in the same neighbourhood and get a valuation before signing.

Benin's land system: what you are really buying

The core text is Law No. 2013-01 of 14 August 2013 on the Land and State Property Code, amended by Law No. 2017-15 of 10 August 2017. It covers urban, peri-urban and rural land, so it applies in Cotonou as well as Abomey-Calavi, Porto-Novo, Sèmè-Podji or Ouidah. The rules below are Benin's only: in Togo or Côte d'Ivoire the same words (land title, attestation, sale agreement) do not mean the same procedures.

The land title, the only full ownership

• Only a land title gives full ownership. All land without one is held under "presumed rights" (new article 112).
• It is final and cannot be challenged. In case of fraud or error, the victim does not get the title cancelled but receives compensation, to be claimed within one year of discovering the fraud (new article 146), from the land compensation fund (new article 147).
• It wipes out the old papers. The land title cancels all earlier documents presuming ownership (new article 138).
• Two titles on the same plot: the older one prevails before the court (new article 376).

Land ownership certificates (CPF): a document from the first version of the code

In its 2013 version, the code ended the rights-confirmation procedure with a land ownership certificate (certificat de propriété foncière, CPF). The 2017 law replaced it with the land title (new article 4) and settled the fate of documents already issued: CPFs obtained at the end of procedures started before the reform "are deemed land titles" (article 539-2), and land titles issued between 2013 and 2017 remain valid (article 539-3). A CPF is therefore not a second-class document, but have the notary check that it matches an entry in the land register.

Documents that only create a presumption

The code lists the "documents of presumed ownership" that can support an application for a land title (new article 4). None of them is ownership: they only open the procedure.

Document	What it is worth in Benin	Legal basis
Land title (or CPF deemed a land title)	Full ownership, final and unchallengeable	Land Code, articles 112, 146 and 539-2
Certificate of customary holding (attestation de détention coutumière)	Presumption of ownership, issued by the mayor after a public and adversarial inquiry	New articles 4 and 352
Resettlement certificate (attestation de recasement)	Presumption of ownership	New article 4
Property tax notices for the last three years	Presumption of ownership	New article 4
Registration certificate, administrative certificate, rural land certificate	Presumption; rural land and administrative certificates stand until proven otherwise but give way to a land title	New articles 4, 378 and 520
Residence permit (permis d'habiter)	Precarious, revocable permit on State land; it only proves a right of use, but its holder can apply for a land title	New article 380; Decree No. 2018-473
Sale agreement (convention de vente, "papier de vente")	Not on the list of presumption documents; it may be one piece of evidence in court, but it is no longer enough to sell	New articles 4 and 375; article 17

For residence permits on State land, Decree No. 2018-473 of 10 October 2018 sets out how to obtain a land title: file lodged with the ANDF with the permit and a topographic survey, the application posted at the court and the town hall and, in some cases, fifteen days for neighbours to dispute the boundaries.

14 August 2023: the end of sales on a simple agreement

The 2017 law allowed ten years from the code's promulgation in 2013 during which a sale of land without confirmed rights could still be recorded by notarial deed, by a private deed lodged with a notary or by a deed attested before the administrative authority; after that, article 17 applies (new article 516). Article 17 is the key rule for buyers:

"Any sale of land or of a building must be preceded by the confirmation of the land rights held over that property. Failing confirmation of rights, the seller must, before the transaction, obtain from the National Land Agency a certificate of ownership (certificat d'appartenance) whose validity […] is one (01) year, not renewable." (our translation)

Article 16 adds that any transfer of ownership not preceded by confirmation of rights is "absolutely void", and article 18 requires a notarial deed or a private deed lodged with a notary. In July 2023 the ANDF's director general recalled this switch and denied any "systematic conversion" of untitled land into State property (Banouto, 14 July 2023). The "Access to land" page on the ANDF website still mentions a transition period ending on 14 August 2020: the text in force, the 2017 law, sets ten years from 2013, which means 14 August 2023.

Cadastre, unique parcel number and e-Foncier Bénin

Decree No. 2025-176 of 9 April 2025 organised the national cadastre around three tools:

• The unique parcel number (NUP), a nine-digit number given to each plot and stated on every deed that creates or transfers a property right (articles 14 to 18).
• The cadastral registration certificate (CEC), treated as a document presuming ownership and which "has the value of a certificate of ownership" under article 17 (articles 21 to 24). An individual application needs, among other things, a presumption document (certificate of customary holding, tax notices, court decision) and a topographic survey with an adversarial boundary report drawn up by a licensed surveyor (article 7).
• Cadastral confirmation, which turns the CEC into a land title: the application is published on the ANDF website and on the plot for fifteen days and, without objection, the title is issued within eight days of the posting certificate (articles 25 to 28). Pending applications can be checked on the ANDF land notices page, with each plot's NUP.

In a notice dated 2 December 2024, the ANDF announced that from 1 January 2025 all land formalisation operations are carried out exclusively in the cadastral database through the e-Foncier Bénin platform in twelve municipalities: Cotonou, Porto-Novo, Parakou, Abomey-Calavi, Sèmè-Podji, Djougou, Pobè, Aplahoué, Bohicon, Sakété, N'Dali and Grand-Popo. Ouidah is not on that list: check with the relevant ANDF office before starting a procedure there.

Foreigners and the diaspora: who can buy

Any individual or company of Beninese nationality can buy buildings or land in Benin. Non-nationals can buy a property in urban areas "subject to reciprocity agreements or international treaties or agreements", and can sign residential or commercial leases (article 14 of the code). According to the ANDF "Access to land" page, rural land can only be bought by Beninese nationals. A member of the Beninese diaspora therefore buys like a resident; a foreign buyer should first have the notary confirm that their country is covered by reciprocity.

Buying land or a house in Cotonou: the steps

Since 2023 the logic is simple: no land title and no valid certificate of ownership, no sale. Here is the order of the steps.

1. Choose a notary before paying any deposit. The sale deed must be notarised or lodged with the notary (article 18), who also files the transfer with the ANDF.
2. Identify the property's status: land title (title number, copy), valid certificate of ownership or CEC, or a mere presumption document. In the last case, the seller must regularise before selling.
3. Check the title with the ANDF. The agency issues a title status report (état descriptif) and offers an online cadastre. Match the NUP, the area and the registered owner's name with the papers you are shown.
4. Have a licensed surveyor mark the boundaries and compare the survey with the cadastral plan. A plot that overlaps a road, a low-lying wetland or a neighbour's land is a dispute waiting to happen.
5. Check the area: ongoing dispute, expropriation zone, State land, border strip (see the traps below).
6. Sign at the notary's office and pay through the notary, not in cash to a go-between.
7. Let the notary file the transfer. According to the ANDF "Transfer of ownership" page, applications are made only online on the national public services portal, through a service reserved for notaries; fees are paid online up to 1,500,000 FCFA and at a bank above that; the stated turnaround is 72 hours.
8. Collect the copy of the title in your name. The 2022 finance law sets a penalty of 500 FCFA per day, capped at 200,000 FCFA, if the title is not collected within thirty days of the administration's written invitation (Law No. 2021-16, article 25).

Checks specific to bare land (boundaries, neighbours, subdivision) are covered in our guide to buying land in Cotonou.

Buying off-plan or through rent-to-own

The code recognises two ways of selling a building to be constructed: turnkey sale, where the developer builds at its own cost and then sells, and off-plan sale (vente en l'état futur d'achèvement), where the price is paid as the works progress (article 13). Law No. 2022-30 also regulates rent-to-own (location-accession), which lets a tenant become the owner after a rental period:

• the contract is signed as a notarial deed or as a private deed lodged with a notary (article 92);
• the deposit paid under a preliminary contract cannot exceed three months of instalments (article 90);
• if the contract is signed before completion, the seller must provide a completion guarantee and a copy of the building permit (articles 93 and 94).

Buying costs in Benin: what the texts set

The amounts below come from official texts, but they date from different years and have not all been republished since. Ask the notary for a written, itemised statement before signing.

Item	Amount set	Source
Registration duty on a property sale	5% of the price	General Tax Code, article 331, as worded by the 2024 finance law
Purchase of a property by a commercial or industrial company, up to 50,000,000 FCFA	Registered free of duty, provided the company keeps the property for ten years	Same article
Credit sale or hire-purchase of a house or flat up to 6,000,000 FCFA	Registered free of duty (the land itself is taxed at the ordinary rate)	Same article
Transfer fees charged by the ANDF	0.3% of the price up to 10,000,000 FCFA; 30,000 FCFA from 10 to 50 million; 0.5% above 50 million	ANDF, "Transfer of ownership" page
Land registry fees	2,500 FCFA per title created; 1,250 FCFA per duplicate or per title created by a split; 500 FCFA per other formality	2022 finance law, article 25.3
Notary's fees on a property sale	1% up to 25,000,000 FCFA, with a 50,000 FCFA minimum; 0.75% above 50,000,000 FCFA	Benin Chamber of Notaries, resolution of 30 January 2020

Three caveats. First, the 5% rate appears in Law No. 2023-01, the 2024 finance law, published by the ANDF; the websites of the tax directorate and the Ministry of Finance, which host the consolidated code, were unreachable on 14 September 2026, and we could not read the latest edition of the code. Second, the ANDF transfer scale has changed: when the e-Notaire platform was launched in April 2020, the government announced a flat 15,000 FCFA for transactions up to 10 million (gouv.bj), whereas the current ANDF page states 0.3% of the price. Third, in the Chamber of Notaries' letter of 31 January 2020 published by the ANDF, the rate for the 25 to 50 million bracket is hard to read: ask the notary for the calculation.

To compare with other countries in the region, see our article on notary fees and registration duties. If you finance the purchase with a loan, the financing calculator estimates a monthly payment from the rate and term you enter: we do not publish rates, which depend on each bank.

Renting in Cotonou: what Law No. 2022-30 says

Residential leases are governed by Law No. 2022-30 of 20 December 2022 on residential leases, published in Official Gazette No. 02 bis of 25 January 2023 according to the Ministry of Justice summary. It repeals Law No. 2018-12 of 2 July 2018 (article 141), which many press articles and agency websites still quote. The main caps did not change from one law to the other, but the article numbers did. Its rules are mandatory (article 139).

Question	Rule	Article
Is a written lease required?	Yes, signed by landlord and tenant, with a move-in inventory attached	5 and 11
How much deposit?	Three months' rent at most, paid when the keys are handed over and refunded at the end of the lease; it cannot be increased during the lease	57, 69 and 71
Maximum rent	Annual rent cannot exceed 8% of the home's real value, calculated from the scales of a national valuation commission approved by decree	55 to 58
Rent increases	An increase under a review clause cannot exceed 2% of the initial annual rent	68
Payment	Monthly, on the agreed date, against a receipt	66
Agency fee	Free, except for two caps: 50% of one month's rent when the agent only puts the parties in touch (paid by whoever hired the agent); 10% of the monthly rent when the agent manages the home for the landlord	27
Lease term	Freely agreed by the parties	72
Unpaid rent	Written formal notice or bailiff's summons, one month to pay, then an application to the court president, who rules within thirty days	75 and 76
Eviction	Only a bailiff can evict; the landlord cannot do it personally	77 and 78
Landlord taking the home back	Six months' reasoned notice served by a bailiff; compensation of at least one year's rent if the conditions are not met	83 to 85
Sale of the rented home	The lease continues; the tenant has a right of first refusal, one month to accept the offer and two months to buy; the deposit passes to the new owner	47, 49 to 51 and 53
Subletting	Landlord's written consent; no more than the rent, or 10% more if the tenant furnishes the home	43 and 46

Example: for rent of 100,000 FCFA a month, the deposit cannot exceed 300,000 FCFA, and an agent who only found you the home cannot charge more than 50,000 FCFA.

What the law leaves out matters too. We found no notice period set for a departing tenant and no published scales that would allow the 8% maximum rent to be calculated: so write the term, the exit conditions and the service charges into the lease. The practice of demanding "months in advance" or "prepaid months" on top of the deposit has been reported in the press (Matin Libre, 6 November 2023, quoting an advert asking for three months in advance, three "prepaid" months, a water and electricity deposit and a fee). In July 2026, as rents rose in Cotonou, the government spokesperson recalled the three-month deposit limit and urged tenants to report abuses to the police (La Nouvelle Tribune, July 2026). For rules shared with other countries, see our article on leases, deposits and notice periods.

Estate agents: what Beninese law requires

In Benin, property brokerage is a regulated profession under Law No. 2022-30. Buying, selling, renting and managing property on behalf of others are "property operations" (article 18). To carry them out, an agent must (article 19):

• be a Beninese national meeting the conditions for commercial activity;
• be entered in the register of estate agents kept by the minister in charge of housing and hold a professional card issued by that authority;
• hold professional liability insurance;
• have no final conviction for breach of trust or offences against property (article 20).

The agent acts under a written, registered, time-limited mandate, failing which the mandate is void (articles 21 and 23), and may not buy or rent the property they are instructed to sell or let (article 26). Habitually carrying out these operations without a card, even as a sideline, is punishable by a fine of 50,000 to 1,000,000 FCFA and, for repeat offences, 500,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA and ten days to two years in prison, or one of those penalties (article 32). The rules for the register and the card are to be set by decree: we found no such decree published as of 14 September 2026. Ask anyway for a written mandate and a receipt for every payment.

Public housing: SImAU's 20,000-homes programme

The main public scheme is the "20,000 economic and social homes" programme run by the Société immobilière et d'aménagement urbain (SImAU), which covers building, selling and managing the co-ownership of homes in 14 towns in Benin, all three-bedroom F4 units, as flats or single-storey villas, according to the official programme presentation. Sales started on 20 February 2025 in the Ouèdo estate, one of the programme's first three "new towns", located in the municipality of Abomey-Calavi according to SImAU's programme page. The housing minister then spoke of "nearly 11,000 units, all F4", and SImAU's director general of a 50,000 FCFA application fee, no down payment and a three-month advance (gouv.bj, 18 February 2025).

The housing types page, checked on 14 September 2026, shows the following homes, all located in Ouèdo (villa E in "Ouèdo - Ouando"):

Type	Living area	Cash price	Rent-to-own	Plain rental
Social villa D, F4	71.5 m²	22,880,000 FCFA	97,000 FCFA a month over 25 years	Not stated
Flat A, F4	86.30 m²	From 43,700,000 FCFA	From 175,000 FCFA over 25 years	From 75,000 FCFA excluding charges
Flat C2, F4	84 m²	From 44,200,000 FCFA	From 177,000 FCFA over 25 years	From 75,000 FCFA excluding charges
Flat B, F4	91.17 m²	48,400,000 FCFA	From 194,000 FCFA over 25 years	From 75,000 FCFA excluding charges
Villa E, F4	102.65 m²	59,600,000 FCFA	242,000 FCFA over 25 years	Not stated

For social villa D, the State pays for the land, the technical studies and site supervision and the servicing, so the buyer only pays the construction cost, according to the same presentation. These are the operator's prices on the date checked: they do not describe Cotonou's private market. In February 2025 the minister spoke of economic homes paid over 17 years and social homes over 25 years; the current page shows 25 years for every type. Get the terms confirmed in writing when you book.

Common traps in Cotonou and Greater Nokoué

Selling on a "papier de vente"

A seller who only shows a sale agreement, a receipt or a note signed by a neighbourhood chief can no longer sell validly: without confirmation of rights or a certificate of ownership, the sale is exposed to absolute nullity (articles 16 and 17 of the code). Insist on the land title, or a still-valid certificate of ownership or CEC, and on the notary's written opinion.

The same plot sold several times

A plot sold to several buyers remains a risk as long as it has no title. Once it does, registration is what counts: before each entry, the registrar checks the parties' identity and capacity, the entry of the seller's right on the title and whether the property is available (new article 161), and a dispute can be flagged to third parties through a provisional entry (prénotation) authorised by the court president (new article 181). Pay on signing at the notary's office and have the transfer filed straight away.

Disputed land and demolitions

Land judgments can affect whole neighbourhoods. On 4 March 2026 the Council of Ministers declared 22 areas to be of public utility where enforcing court decisions would lead to mass demolition of homes, in the municipalities of Cotonou, Abomey-Calavi, Klouékanmey, Bopa, Zogbodomey and Lalo, citing partial enforcement over more than 7 hectares in Fidjrossè, in Cotonou, and over more than 19 hectares in Tankpè and more than 4 hectares in Adjagbo, in Abomey-Calavi (Council of Ministers report). Before buying, have the notary check whether the plot is affected by a pending case or by one of these areas.

State land and the border strip

Some plots sold by private individuals belong to the State. The ANDF, for example, warned against "attempts at mass sell-offs" of land under title No. 696 in Sèmè-Podji, which belongs to the State (notice published by the ANDF). The 2017 law also created a border zone, in principle 2,200 metres wide, along the borders with Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Togo: land cannot be bought or sold there for the benefit of private individuals, and no rights can be confirmed there in their favour (articles 7, 346-1, 346-4 and 522-6). In municipalities near a border, have the surveyor locate the plot.

Low-lying land and flood-prone areas

The 2025 cadastre decree provides that the natural public domain, "in particular permanently wet areas and low-lying land (bas-fonds)", is mapped and entered into the cadastral database (article 34). A bas-fond is therefore not a plot like any other. In Cotonou, the World Bank describes neighbourhoods formerly hit by flooding where the works of the Cotonou Stormwater Drainage Programme have reduced the impact of floods: Enagnon and Akpakpa-Dodomè in the 4th district, Sètovi, Vêdoko, Zogbo, Midédji and Kouhounou in the 10th (World Bank, 15 May 2025). Elsewhere, nothing tells you the works have been done: visit in the rainy season and talk to the neighbours before buying.

The go-between without a card

A "démarcheur" who shows homes, collects viewing fees or asks for a full month's rent as commission is acting outside Law No. 2022-30: the fee is capped at half a month for a simple introduction and a professional card is mandatory. Other scams recur across the region: we cover them in our article on avoiding property scams in West Africa.

Who to contact

Need	Contact
Sale deed, cost statement, transfer of ownership	A notary, who files the transfer online with the ANDF
Title status report, certificate of ownership, confirmation of rights, cadastre	National Land and State Property Agency (ANDF) and its municipal offices
Certificate of customary holding, subdivision, resettlement	The town hall
Boundary marking, topographic survey	A licensed surveyor (géomètre-expert)
Rent, deposit or eviction dispute	The president of the court of first instance where the home is located, in summary proceedings; a bailiff for formal notices
Estate agent's professional card	The ministry in charge of housing
Homes in the public programme	SImAU, through the 20,000-homes programme website

On Imonga: Beninese professionals in the directory

As of 14 September 2026, Imonga publishes no listings and no new-build projects in Benin. The professionals directory has 31 Beninese entries: 22 developers, 8 agencies and 1 listings platform. By town shown on the profile: Cotonou 23, Abomey-Calavi 5, Ouidah 1, Porto-Novo 1, and one nationwide platform with no town. Four carry Imonga's "verified" badge, which replaces neither the professional card required by Law No. 2022-30 nor your own checks: no Beninese profile shows a card number. Before paying any professional found here or elsewhere, ask for their card, a written mandate and a receipt.

Frequently asked questions

Can you still buy land in Benin with a sale agreement?

No, not since 14 August 2023. Article 17 of the Land and State Property Code requires the sale to be preceded by confirmation of land rights or, failing that, by a certificate of ownership from the ANDF, valid for one non-renewable year. Otherwise the sale is exposed to absolute nullity (article 16). The deed must be notarised or lodged with a notary (article 18).

What is a land ownership certificate (CPF) worth today?

Law No. 2017-15 replaced the land ownership certificate with the land title as the outcome of the procedure. CPFs issued at the end of procedures started before the reform are deemed land titles (article 539-2). Before buying, have the notary check the matching entry in the land register at the ANDF.

How much deposit can a landlord ask for in Cotonou?

Three months' rent at most, under Law No. 2022-30 of 20 December 2022 (articles 57 and 69). The deposit is paid when the keys are handed over, cannot be increased during the lease and is refunded at the end. An agent who only introduced you to the landlord cannot charge more than half a month's rent.

What costs do you pay when buying property in Benin?

The General Tax Code sets a 5% registration duty on the price (article 331, as worded by the 2024 finance law). The ANDF charges transfer fees of 0.3% up to 10 million FCFA, 30,000 FCFA from 10 to 50 million and 0.5% above. Notary's fees come on top. Ask for a written statement before signing.

Can a foreigner buy in Cotonou?

Yes in urban areas, subject to reciprocity agreements or international treaties (article 14 of the Land and State Property Code). Rural land is reserved for Beninese nationals, according to the ANDF. Members of the Beninese diaspora buy on the same terms as residents: notary, land title or certificate of ownership, online transfer.

What do properties cost in Cotonou?

We do not publish prices: Imonga has no listings in Benin, and we found no recent public statistics on prices by neighbourhood. The only official prices we quote are SImAU's for Ouèdo, from 22,880,000 FCFA for the social villa to 59,600,000 FCFA for villa E. For an existing property, compare and get a valuation.

Sources

Pages and texts consulted on 14 September 2026.

• Law No. 2013-01 of 14 August 2013, Land and State Property Code (Government General Secretariat): articles 13, 14, 16, 17 and 18.
• Law No. 2017-15 of 10 August 2017 amending the Land and State Property Code: land title, presumption documents, end of the transition period, border zone, status of CPFs.
• Decree No. 2025-176 of 9 April 2025: unique parcel number, cadastral registration certificate, cadastral confirmation.
• Decree No. 2018-473 of 10 October 2018: land titles for holders of residence permits.
• ANDF notice of 2 December 2024 on e-Foncier Bénin.
• ANDF, transfer of ownership; ANDF, access to land; ANDF, land notices.
• Law No. 2023-01, 2024 finance law: article 331 of the General Tax Code.
• Law No. 2021-16, 2022 finance law: land registry fees, collection penalty.
• Benin Chamber of Notaries, letter of 31 January 2020: fees on property sales.
• Government of Benin, launch of the e-Notaire platform (April 2020).
• Banouto, land transactions after 14 August 2023 (14 July 2023).
• Law No. 2022-30 of 20 December 2022 on residential leases (Ministry of Justice): lease, deposit, fees, estate agents, rent-to-own.
• Law No. 2018-12 of 2 July 2018, repealed by Law No. 2022-30.
• Matin Libre, rent advances (6 November 2023) and La Nouvelle Tribune, government reminder on deposits (July 2026).
• 20,000-homes programme, presentation, SImAU programme page and housing types and prices; gouv.bj, launch of sales (18 February 2025).
• Council of Ministers report of 4 March 2026: 22 areas declared of public utility.
• ANDF, warning about land title 696 in Sèmè-Podji.
• World Bank, stormwater drainage in Cotonou (15 May 2025).
• Imonga data: 0 listings and 0 projects in Benin, 31 Beninese professionals, taken from the site's API on 14 September 2026.