The cost of land title formalisation in Ghana

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess cost of land title formalisation in Ghana from the standpoint of individual land/property owners with the view to suggesting a cost-effective means for title formalisation in the country. Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a quantitative research approach with mainly questionnaire instruments to obtain data from real estate valuers, land agents and lawyers in Accra, Ghana's capital city. Findings – Consistent with the literature, the paper found that title formalisation cost is high with extensive time lag. A substantial portion of the cost emanates from commuting cost for follow-ups to expedite action on title formalisation activities, cost of time lag and unofficial and professional fees for facilitation of title formalisation activities. Practical implications – For land title formalisation to contribute to socio-economic development of Ghana and other developing countries, there is a need for effective and efficient land title formalisation regime to reduce excessive time lag and monetary cost for title formalisation. Originality/value – Few studies have examined the extent of title formalisation cost in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of these studies tend to overlook several indirect costs and give misleading cost reportage or focus on social cost. The study analyses land title formalisation cost from individual land/property owners’ standpoint. The paper incorporates indirect costs and gives an idea as to the cost trend. Being first of its kind, the study presents a new dimension to the assessment of land title formalisation cost in Ghana for policy formulation and practice.