Real estate in Douala

The city's districts

Douala is an urban community made up of six borough councils, Douala I to Douala VI (encyclopedia entry on Douala). Douala I is run from Bonanjo and covers the historic centre, including Akwa and Deido. Douala II is run from New Bell, Douala III from Logbaba and Douala V from Bonamoussadi, a borough that also includes Kotto, Logpom and Makepe. The city sits on both banks of the Wouri. Since October 2017, a second bridge has linked the two banks.

On the other bank, Bonaberi faces Akwa, Deido and Bonanjo (Bonaberi entry). If you rent there but work across the river, the crossing shapes your day. Before you sign, make the trip at the hours you will actually travel.

Flooding: the Douala-specific check

Heavy rain causes frequent floods, which have brought the city to a standstill every year since 2000 according to the city entry. In May 2026, Camer.be named Bepanda, Sic Cacao and Makepe Missoke among the areas where water returns every rainy season. The same article blamed drains built in disconnected sections with no maintenance, and building that is tolerated where planning rules forbid it.

• Visit during or just after heavy rain.
• Look for water marks low on the walls and compare the doorstep with the level of the street and the gutter.
• Ask neighbours how high the water rose in recent seasons.
• For a plot, have a surveyor and the borough council confirm that it is not in a flood zone or a no-build area.

Buying: land title, cadastre and notary

In Cameroon, land tenure is set by the 1974 land tenure ordinance. The land title procedure comes under Decree 76/165 of 27 April 1976, amended by Decree 2005/481 of 16 December 2005. A law firm's answer published by Camer.be in 2019 explains that the land title (titre foncier) is the official certificate of real property ownership. Selling titled property transfers the title into the buyer's name (article 22 of the decree). Under article 23 of the same decree, it is the notary who sends the transfer file to the land registrar; in practice, the transfer follows these steps:

1. Get a copy of the land title from the seller and confirm at the relevant land registry that it is in the seller's name.
2. Have a plan of the property approved by the head of the divisional cadastre office.
3. Sign the deed of sale before a notary. The notary then sends the land registrar the application, the plan, the deed and the copy of the original title (article 23).
4. Collect the land title showing the transfer to your name.

A plot carved out of a larger parcel, which is common in subdivisions, needs the title to be split. Only the notary can start that procedure with the registrar (Camer.be, 2015). Ask the seller in writing for the parent title number and the timetable for the split. Fees and timeframes are not published in the sources consulted: ask the notary for a written quote.

Renting: what to get in writing

In Cameroon, deposit and advance rent amounts are negotiated between landlord and tenant. No official source consulted sets a cap for housing in Douala. Insist on a written lease that states the rent, the number of months paid in advance, the deposit amount and how it is returned, and who pays the water and electricity bills. Keep a dated receipt for every payment. If you deal with an agent or middleman, check that the person collecting the money is the owner or holds a written mandate.

New developments listed on Imonga

As of 28 October 2026, Imonga lists several LENA REAL ESTATE projects in Douala. They include subdivisions at Bwang Bakoko and Logbessou (Ngoma area), single-storey houses at Bwang Bakoko and a stabilised earth brick project at Yassa Bwang Bakoko, all under way, as well as a T5 duplex in pre-sale. A duplex construction and renovation project in Bonaberi, run by Groupe Kedibuild, is marked as delivered. A project listing does not replace checking the parent land title with a notary.