How to buy property in Ghana from abroad

Last checked 2026-10-03

Much of Ghana's land is held by stools, skins and families, and the most common loss for buyers abroad is land sold by someone without the authority to sell it, or sold twice. Checking who can sell, and registering quickly, prevents most of it.

What you can own

Under the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), a person who is not a Ghanaian citizen cannot hold freehold land and can lease land for at most 50 years at a time. A Ghanaian citizen, including a dual citizen living abroad, is treated as a citizen and can take longer leases, commonly up to 99 years.

The steps

  1. Find the land or home and get the seller's documents: the indenture or land certificate and a site plan.
  2. Hire your own lawyer in Ghana.
  3. Run an official search at the Lands Commission (onlineservices.lc.gov.gh). It confirms the registered owner and any mortgages, cautions or charges.
  4. For stool or family land, confirm the seller is the recognised head of family or chief, and that the principal members consent. Family land sold without them is the most common source of disputes.
  5. Have a licensed surveyor prepare or confirm the site plan, and visit the land or send someone you trust.
  6. Sign the indenture, stamp it at the Ghana Revenue Authority, and pay the stamp duty assessed on it.
  7. Register the land at the Lands Commission and keep the land title certificate. Registration is what protects you against a second sale.

Warning signs

  • A seller who will not show the land with neighbours or family elders present.
  • Documents that do not match the Lands Commission search, or no site plan.
  • Pressure to pay in cash or before your lawyer has checked the title.
  • "Land guards" or disputes on the plot. The Land Act, 2020 makes using land guards an offence; walk away from land that needs them.

Selling or letting from abroad

Ghanaians abroad often own a house or plot they want to sell or let. Many Ghanaian titles are leases from a stool, a family or the state, so first confirm exactly what you hold and whether anyone must consent to a sale.

Selling from abroad

  1. Hire your own Ghanaian lawyer to search the title at the Lands Commission, confirming your registered interest and any encumbrances.
  2. If you hold a lease, check whether the head lessor (the stool, family or state that granted it) must consent to the sale.
  3. If someone will sign for you, give them a power of attorney limited to this one sale. Sign it before a notary where you live and have it apostilled; Ghana is a party to the Apostille Convention.
  4. Have the buyer pay into your lawyer's client account or your own bank account.
  5. Pay capital gains tax: the Ghana Revenue Authority taxes an individual's gain on land or buildings at 15% of the net gain, after deducting the cost of buying and improving the property and the costs of selling. You file a capital gains tax return with the GRA.

Letting it out from abroad

  • Rent tax is a final tax of 8% of the gross rent for residential property and 15% for commercial property, due within 30 days of receiving the rent.
  • Use a written tenancy agreement and a manager you can check up on, and have rent paid into your own account.

Own a home in Ghana? List it for sale or rent yourself, free.

Common questions

Can a Ghanaian living abroad buy land in Ghana?

Yes. A Ghanaian citizen, including a dual citizen, is treated as a citizen under the Land Act, 2020 and can take leases longer than the 50-year limit that applies to non-citizens.

How long a lease can a foreigner hold in Ghana?

A non-citizen cannot hold freehold land in Ghana and can lease land for at most 50 years at a time, under section 10 of the Land Act, 2020.

How do I check land in Ghana before buying?

Have your lawyer run an official search at the Lands Commission, online at onlineservices.lc.gov.gh. It confirms the registered owner and any mortgages, cautions or charges on the land.

What is the biggest risk when buying family land in Ghana?

Buying from someone who lacks authority. Family land needs the consent of the head of family and principal members, and the Land Act, 2020 also requires the Regional Lands Commission's consent.

What is capital gains tax on selling a house in Ghana?

15% of the net gain for individuals, according to the Ghana Revenue Authority. The gain is the price minus the cost of acquiring and improving the property and the costs of the sale.

How much tax do landlords pay on rent in Ghana?

8% of the gross rent for residential lettings and 15% for commercial, as a final tax, paid within 30 days of receiving the rent.

Can I sell my house in Ghana from abroad?

Yes, with your own Ghanaian lawyer and a power of attorney limited to the one sale, notarised and apostilled where you live.

Can I list my own property on ResidentFinder?

Yes. Owners can list a home for sale or for rent themselves, without an agent, and listing is free. Buyers and renters contact you directly through ResidentFinder.

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Sources

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and is not definitive. Laws, fees and procedures change; confirm every step with a licensed lawyer in the country before you pay anything.