How do I register land in The Gambia?

In outline: confirm the plot and the seller's authority, run a search at the Land Registry, commission a licensed survey and site plan, execute the sale and transfer documents through a lawyer, obtain any required consent, pay stamp duty and registration fees, and lodge the instrument for registration. You hold registered title only once the instrument is entered at the Land Registry.

What is the difference between customary land and leasehold land?

Customary land is held under village or family tenure and is administered locally, often through the Alkalo and district authorities. Leasehold land is granted by the state for a fixed term and is capable of formal registration. Much land around Pirang begins as customary land and is converted to a registered leasehold as part of the purchase process.

Can a foreigner register land in The Gambia?

Non-citizens generally acquire land on a leasehold basis rather than freehold, and size or use restrictions may apply. The practical route is the same registration process, but a foreign buyer should take independent legal advice on the appropriate holding structure before paying anything.

Do I need a lawyer to register land in The Gambia?

You are strongly advised to instruct an independent Gambian lawyer. A lawyer conducts the Land Registry search, verifies the seller's authority, drafts or reviews the agreement, applies for consent and lodges the transfer for registration. SavanaRise does not provide legal advice.

How long does land registration take in The Gambia?

Timescales vary considerably depending on the tenure, whether a survey already exists, how quickly consent is granted and how complete the documentation is. Treat any timeline you are quoted as an estimate and confirm progress in writing at each stage.

What documents should I collect during the process?

Keep the site plan and survey, the Land Registry search result, evidence of the seller's authority (including any Alkalo or family confirmation), the signed sale agreement, all payment receipts, the consent approval, the stamp duty assessment and the final registered instrument.

Can I complete registration from abroad?

Much of the process can be handled by an appointed lawyer or a representative acting under a properly drawn power of attorney. You should still arrange for the plot to be physically inspected and the boundaries verified before you pay.

What are the most common land registration mistakes?

Paying before verifying the seller's authority, relying on a handwritten receipt instead of a drafted agreement, skipping the Land Registry search, accepting an unsurveyed plot, paying in cash without records, and assuming a signed sale agreement is the same thing as registered title.

Guide

Gambia land registration guide: steps, costs and documents

Registering land in The Gambia is a documented sequence, not a single transaction. This guide sets out the practical steps — verifying tenure and authority, searching the Land Registry, surveying the plot, obtaining consent, paying duties and registering title — along with the costs to budget for and the records to keep.

Before you start

Understand the tenure you are buying

Land in The Gambia is broadly held either under customary tenure — village or family land administered locally — or as registered leasehold granted by the state. The distinction matters because it determines who can lawfully sell, what evidence of authority you should require and what has to happen before the transfer can be entered at the Land Registry.

A signed sale agreement is not title. Title exists when the instrument is registered. Everything in this guide is aimed at getting you from an informal offer to a registered, defensible interest in a specific, surveyed parcel of land.

Step by step

The land registration process in The Gambia

1. Identify the land and confirm what is being sold
Before any money moves, establish exactly which plot is being offered, its dimensions, its boundaries and the tenure being transferred.
- Ask for the plot number, size in metres and the site plan or layout drawing.
- Walk the boundaries on site — or send a trusted representative — and take GPS readings at each corner.
- Confirm whether the land is customary (village/family) land or already registered leasehold. The registration route differs.
2. Verify the seller's authority to sell
Most disputes in The Gambia trace back to a seller who did not hold the authority they claimed.
- For customary land, the Alkalo (village head) and the relevant family or district authority should confirm the sale in writing.
- For leasehold land, ask for the lease document, the last transfer and any consent to assign.
- Ask whether anyone else — co-heirs, spouses, prior buyers — has an interest in the same plot.
3. Carry out a search at the Land Registry
A search establishes whether the parcel is already registered, encumbered or subject to a caveat.
- Instruct a Gambian lawyer to conduct the official search on your behalf.
- Ask specifically for existing leases, mortgages, caveats and pending litigation.
- Keep the written search result — it is part of your evidence trail.
4. Commission a licensed survey and site plan
Registration requires a survey plan prepared by a licensed surveyor and lodged with the Department of Physical Planning and Housing.
- The surveyor pegs the boundaries and produces a plan with coordinates and neighbouring parcels.
- Check the surveyed area matches what you agreed to buy before you sign anything further.
- Retain the stamped plan; it is referenced in the lease and the registration file.
5. Execute the sale agreement and transfer documents
The written agreement should record the parties, the plot, the price, the payment schedule and the obligations of each side.
- Have your lawyer draft or review the agreement — do not rely on a template receipt.
- Pay only through recorded channels (bank transfer or documented deposit) and keep every receipt.
- Where a payment plan applies, the schedule and consequences of late payment belong in the agreement.
6. Obtain consent, pay duties and register the title
Transfers of state and leasehold land require ministerial or departmental consent, and stamp duty and capital gains obligations may apply.
- Your lawyer lodges the transfer, the survey plan and the consent application with the relevant offices.
- Stamp duty is assessed on the transfer; budget for it alongside legal and survey fees.
- Registration is complete only when the instrument is entered at the Land Registry and you hold the registered document.
7. Protect the land after registration
Registered title still needs care — unfenced, unvisited plots attract encroachment.
- Fence or mark the boundaries and, where required, meet any development conditions in the lease.
- Pay ground rent and any local rates on time and keep the receipts.
- Appoint someone locally to check the plot periodically if you live abroad.

Budgeting

Costs to budget for beyond the land price

Typical cost categories when registering land in The Gambia
Cost	What it covers
Land price	Agreed with the seller — for SavanaRise plots in Pirang, from D100,000 per 20m × 20m plot (indicative, subject to availability and written confirmation).
Licensed survey and site plan	Charged by the surveyor; varies with plot size and location.
Legal fees	Charged by your independent lawyer for searches, drafting and lodging documents.
Stamp duty and registration fees	Statutory charges assessed on the transfer value.
Consent and processing fees	Payable where ministerial or departmental consent is required.
Ongoing costs	Ground rent, rates and any development or fencing obligations.

Documents

The paper trail to keep

Keep originals where you can and scanned copies of everything else: the site plan and licensed survey, the Land Registry search result, written evidence of the seller's authority, the sale agreement, every payment receipt, the consent approval, the stamp duty assessment and the final registered instrument. If you are buying from abroad, store the set somewhere your lawyer and family can reach it.

SavanaRise provides project documentation and site information for its Pirang plots as part of the Pirang Land Information Pack. It is information to support your own checks — not a substitute for independent legal advice.

FAQs

Gambia land registration: frequently asked questions

Guides from the SavanaRise Journal

Practical reading on land title, registration and buying from abroad in The Gambia.

View all articles

Pirang
Looking for Land in Pirang, The Gambia? 10 Things You Should Know First
Customary versus leasehold title, the role of the Alkalo, GPS verification and the other checks to make before you commit to a plot in Pirang.
19 July 20268 min read
Pricing
Land for Sale in The Gambia: What D100,000 Gets You in Pirang (2026 Guide)
A technical breakdown of a 20m × 20m plot at the D100,000 guide price — dimensions, location, documentation route and the costs to budget beyond the land itself.
5 July 20267 min read
Legal
The Ultimate Guide to Buying Land in The Gambia: Everything You Need to Know Before You Pay
Customary tenure, registered leasehold and the full roadmap from site identification through to registration of title at the Land Registry.
21 June 202611 min read

Next step

Request the Pirang Land Information Pack

A practical PDF with plot details, indicative pricing, viewing process and documentation route — sent straight to your email or WhatsApp.

Request the Pack

Book a Viewing

WhatsApp Us

Gambia land registration guide: steps, costs and documents

Understand the tenure you are buying

The land registration process in The Gambia

1. Identify the land and confirm what is being sold

2. Verify the seller's authority to sell

3. Carry out a search at the Land Registry

4. Commission a licensed survey and site plan

5. Execute the sale agreement and transfer documents

6. Obtain consent, pay duties and register the title

7. Protect the land after registration