CAMEROON Trends and Developments Contributed by: Lynda Amadagana, Elise Ngo Nyobe, Hervée Belinga and Abel Esseba, Amadagana & Partners
cipal sources of social tension in the Cameroonian countryside. New rules for large-scale land acquisitions In response to these challenges, the State has, since the end of 2025, embarked upon some significant regulatory reforms. Through a series of five circular letters, the Ministry of State Property, Land Tenure and Land Affairs ( Ministère des Domaines , du Cadastre et des Affaires Foncières – MINDCAF) has introduced major new requirements, including the obligation to obtain a “letter of no objection” from first-degree tradi - tional chiefs for any application for land registration or concession exceeding ten hectares, by circular dated 26 December 2025 (Circular Letter No 0003/MIND - CAF/CAB/LC of 2 April 2025 instituting a “letter of no objection” from the territorially competent second or first-degree Traditional Authority Chief for the valida - tion, at divisional level, of applications for direct land registration or concession of national domain land for areas equal to or greater than 20 hectares). The creation of new legal instruments for land security The reform introduces two new administrative docu - ments intended to constitute “preliminary evidence” of occupation or use of a plot of national domain land – Circular Letter No 0001/MINDCAF/CAB/LC of 20 Feb - ruary 2026 sets out the conditions for the issuance of a Certificate of Recognition of Customary Land Rights (“ARDFC”) and a Certificate of Peaceful Enjoyment of Land (“AJPTER”). These documents represent an intermediate step in the process of obtaining a land title, which remains the only official certification of real property ownership in Cameroon. The ARDFC is intended to promote the land rights of customary communities and family groups, while the AJPTER aims to better protect the occupation and use rights of land users. Strengthened sanctions for the non-development of allocated land With regard to land forming part of the State’s private domain, the 2026 Finance Law introduces a new forfei - ture mechanism that more strictly governs the acquisi - tion of such plots. It establishes a direct link between non-compliance with the obligations attached to the allocation instrument, the loss of rights, and the reval -
uation of the price of plots returned to the market – with a progressive revaluation scale of between 10% and 30% applied to the initial sale value. Forfeiture is declared one year after the date of allocation of the domain plot, by decision of the minister respon - sible for State property. This mechanism is expressly designed to combat land speculation and to compel beneficiaries of public land to put it to effective use. Protection of Personal Data Cameroon has adopted Law No 2024/017 of 23 December 2024 on the protection of personal data, marking a significant step forward in the structuring of the legal framework governing the digital sector. Modelled on the European GDPR, this Law requires in particular: • the explicit consent of the data subjects; • the securing of data; • the regulation of international data transfers; and • in certain cases, the designation of a data protec - tion officer. Progressive compliance Article 73 of the Law provides for a transitional period of 18 months from the date of its promulgation, allow - ing public and private sector actors to comply with the new requirements. This gradual approach reflects a determination to ensure a controlled regulatory tran - sition within an economic environment that was still taking shape until 23 June 2026. Regulatory authority This authority, which is expected to be established by decree, will play a central role in national digital gov - ernance. Overall, this reform forms part of a broader trend towards digital sovereignty, the protection of sensitive data, gradual alignment with international standards, and the safeguarding of investment in the digital economy. It also introduces new compliance obligations for companies operating in the technology and financial sectors. Intellectual property and personal data Cameroon has also undertaken significant reforms in the areas of intellectual property and the digital economy.
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