7 June 2026
9 min
· Rédaction Imonga
In Tema, Ghana, check the lease before you look at the price. The state-owned company TDC Ghana Ltd says it holds most of the Tema Acquisition Area under a lease from the Government, so what you are offered is often a leasehold with a remaining term written in the deed. A person who is not a citizen of Ghana can receive neither a freehold nor a lease of more than fifty years, under the Constitution. For rentals, the Rent Control Department states that demanding more than six months' rent in advance is an offence. We give no prices: we found no reliable public source for prices or rents in Tema.
Tema: a planned city where land runs through TDC
Tema was built on land the State acquired compulsorily, and that still shapes every sale. According to Graphic Online (19 August 2026, accessed 10 October 2026), about 63 square miles, known as the Tema Acquisition Area, were compulsorily acquired by the Government from the traditional authorities of Tema, Nungua and Kpone. TDC says it was granted the majority of that area under a 1956 lease, and that the lease was renewed for 125 years, effective 1 January 2024. Those last two points are the company's own statements, as reported by the paper.
TDC is not the city council. According to Citi Newsroom (15 August 2026, accessed 10 October 2026), the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) is responsible for physical planning, development control and municipal administration, while TDC handles land development and housing schemes. The two bodies disagreed in public in August 2026 over who does what. For a buyer the consequence is practical: there are two offices to ask, not one.
The city is laid out in numbered Communities: the sources cited here mention Community One and Community 26. At the latter, in Kpone, the Ghanaian Times (25 February 2025, accessed 10 October 2026) describes a TDC project of 71 residential blocks and 1,072 apartments, 578 of which had been sold by 2024. The article gives no prices. For the neighbouring capital, see our guide to real estate in Accra.
Buying in Tema: what Ghanaian law says
A non-citizen gets a lease only, of fifty years at most
The answer is clear: no freehold for a person who is not a citizen of Ghana. Article 266 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana (text accessed 10 October 2026) bars the creation of any interest in land in Ghana that vests a freehold in a non-citizen, and makes void any deed that purports to do so. The same article bars vesting in a non-citizen a leasehold of more than fifty years at any one time. The test in the text is citizenship, not where you live. The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (page dated 17 June 2020, accessed 10 October 2026) gives a lease period of 50 years for foreigners and 99 years for Ghanaians. The term that matters to you is the one written in your own deed: have it read by a solicitor admitted in Ghana who is independent of the seller.
Questions to ask before you pay
- Who is the head lessor? TDC, the State, a family or an individual. Ask for a full copy of the lease (indenture), not a summary.
- How many years are left? You buy the remaining term, not the original one.
- Does the lease require the lessor's consent to assign or mortgage? The answer is in the deed. If the land falls under TDC, put the question to TDC in writing.
- Is the seller the person on the records? GIPC recommends an official search before dealing with anyone who claims to be the owner.
- Who approves building works? Ask both TDC and the TMA before any construction (see the FAQ below).
Our articles on land checks before buying a plot and on common property scams cover the general habits. For viewings, use the property viewing checklist.
Registration and stamp duty
A signed deed is not enough: it has to be stamped, then registered. GIPC, on its land acquisition page (accessed 10 October 2026), describes the route for land held by an individual or private entity as follows:
| Step | What GIPC describes |
|---|---|
| 1 | Negotiation between the buyer (lessee) and the actual owner (lessor) |
| 2 | Site plan endorsed by both parties, certified by a licensed surveyor and the Regional Surveyor |
| 3 | Indenture endorsed by a solicitor of the Supreme Court |
| 4 | Documents submitted to the Lands Commission and statutory fees paid |
| 5 | Stamping of the deed and a Tax Clearance Certificate |
| 6 | Registration at the Deeds Registry of the Lands Commission and release of the registered deed |
That route is general. For land under TDC, ask TDC and your lawyer which steps come on top. According to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources FAQ (accessed 10 October 2026), a registration file includes a site plan prepared by a licensed surveyor, proof of ownership (indenture, family declaration), a search report from the Lands Commission, valid identification, Form 1A, two passport-size photographs and the payment receipt. The Ministry adds that other documents may be required depending on the land.
Stamp duty is governed by the Stamp Duty Act, 2005 (Act 689) as amended. According to the Ghana Revenue Authority (page accessed 10 October 2026), the ad valorem duty ranges between 0.25% and 1% of the value of the instrument, and documents that transfer an interest in land (conveyance, gift, assignment of lease) are inspection cases. The same page warns that an unstamped or insufficiently stamped document will not be admitted into evidence in court. The rate that applies to your deed, the Lands Commission fees and the processing times do not appear on the pages we were able to read: ask the GRA, the Lands Commission and your lawyer, in writing. Our article on purchase and registration costs explains how these items work.
Renting in Tema: advance rent is capped
A landlord cannot demand one or two years upfront, according to the regulator. The governing law is the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), which applies to all premises in Ghana, subject to the exclusions it lists. According to Graphic Online (24 June 2026, accessed 10 October 2026), the acting Rent Control Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, said it is a criminal offence for landlords to demand or collect more than six months' rent in advance for long-term tenancies, punishable by fines or up to two years in prison. The Ghanaian Times, republished by GNBCC (27 March 2026, accessed 10 October 2026), reports a fine of up to 500 penalty units and enforcement announced for 1 April 2026.
We could not open the consolidated text of the Act beyond its first section: these points come from the Commissioner's statements, not from our reading of the section. In a dispute, the Rent Control Department asks tenants to gather evidence and report the landlord. A lawyer admitted in Ghana will tell you what the text provides for your tenancy. Insist on a written agreement and a receipt for every payment. Next, read our articles on leases, deposits and notice and on preparing a rental application.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreigner buy a house in Tema?
A foreigner can acquire a lease, not a freehold. Article 266 of the Constitution of Ghana bars vesting in a non-citizen a freehold or a leasehold of more than fifty years at any one time, and makes a contrary deed void. Have the remaining term and your own status checked by a lawyer admitted in Ghana before paying anything.
Who issues building permits in Tema, TDC or the TMA?
Both are involved. According to Graphic Online (19 August 2026), TDC and the assembly set up a Joint Technical Evaluation Committee to process development permit applications. According to Citi Newsroom, the TMA is responsible for development control. Since their disagreement became public in August 2026, ask both for the current procedure, in writing.
How many months of advance rent can a landlord ask for?
Six months at most for a long-term tenancy, according to the acting Rent Control Commissioner quoted by Graphic Online on 24 June 2026. Beyond that, he describes it as a criminal offence. We could not read the section of the Act itself: confirm with the Rent Control Department or a lawyer.
What does land or rent cost in Tema?
We publish no figure, for lack of a reliable, dated source. None of the official sources we consulted gives prices for Tema. Compare several similar properties, ask for a written quote for every fee, and have the property valued by a professional independent of the seller before you negotiate.
These rules apply to Ghana only. They differ in other countries: for Togo, see our guide to land status in Togo.
Sources
- Graphic Online, 19 August 2026: Tema Acquisition Area, TDC's lease and its renewal according to TDC, joint permit committee. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- Citi Newsroom, 15 August 2026: division of roles between TDC and the TMA. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- Ghanaian Times, 25 February 2025: TDC project at Community 26, Kpone. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- 1992 Constitution of Ghana, article 266: no freehold and no lease of more than fifty years for a non-citizen. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- Ghana Investment Promotion Centre: stated lease periods and acquisition steps. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, FAQ: documents for land registration. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- Ghana Revenue Authority, Stamp Duty: governing Act, ad valorem range, effect of an unstamped document. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- Graphic Online, 24 June 2026: six-month cap on advance rent according to the Rent Control Department. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- Ghanaian Times republished by GNBCC, 27 March 2026: announced penalties and enforcement date. Accessed 10 October 2026.
- Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), section 1: title and scope of the Act. Accessed 10 October 2026.
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