Land surveying faces backlog of over 50,000 pending applications

At least 55,000 applications for land surveying services, which are pending due to a limited number of personnel, will be processed within two months, National Land Authority (NLA) has said. Landowners apply for land surveying services to facilitate land subdivision, land registration and titling, among other purposes. Land surveying accurately determines property boundaries, helping to prevent disputes between neighbours and ensuring clarity over land ownership. ALSO READ: Govt to resolve land demarcation issues by 2027 Accurate surveys are essential for land transfers, inheritance, subdivision and consolidation, ensuring that transactions are lawful and properly recorded. By clearly marking boundaries and recording them in official systems, land surveying helps minimise conflicts and resolve disputes fairly. “For those who applied for land surveying services, we apologise for the delays. Measures have been taken to increase the number of staff working on these services, and we assure them that all pending cases will be completed within the first two months of 2026,” said Marie-Grâce Nishimwe, Director General of the National Land Authority and Land Registrar. Speaking to The New Times on Monday, Nishimwe said that at least 100 private land surveyors are being deployed to support public surveyors in handling the backlog of more than 55,000 applications. “In most places, there are only two staff members per district. We are working with the Private Sector Federation to provide 100 professionals to help clear the pending files, which slightly exceed 55,000,” she said. ALSO READ: Rwanda to deploy new system for improved land services In 2025, she added, a total of 864,425 files—including land transfer, registration and land surveying applications—were processed. She said that applicants can track the status of their applications by visiting amakuru.lands.rw, clicking on LATIS, and following the instructions provided. “The services were very seriously delayed. We applied for land subdivision in July 2025. It is reassuring to have been informed that the process will be fast-tracked,” said Justin Bizimungu, a landowner. Factors behind the backlog of 55,000 pending files Janvier Bikorimana, a private certified land surveyor who is part of the team addressing the backlog, told The New Times that one of the key factors behind the delays is the policy allowing subdivision of agricultural land, even where plots are less than one hectare, to enable landowners to obtain land titles. “Before 2021, agricultural land could not be subdivided into smaller parcels. Allowing such subdivision so that landowners can obtain titles led to a surge in applications, resulting in a backlog because there are very few public staff at district level. Most districts have only one staff member handling these files, yet they also have other responsibilities. That is why we, as private surveyors, are intervening,” he explained. ALSO READ: Boundary errors, land disputes targeted in Rwf 2.2bn plan Previously, under a 2013 law governing land in Rwanda, agricultural land measuring less than one hectare could not be subdivided. This law has since been amended, and the 2021 law does not set any minimum size requirements for subdividing agricultural land, according to the National Land Authority. “Anyone who buys a portion of agricultural land is registered as its owner. This is possible because the current law allows it. What we emphasise is that people should not subdivide agricultural land with the intention of building on it, which is often indicated by the creation of multiple access roads across the land,” Nishimwe noted. The changes followed the 2019 National Land Policy, which addressed persistent demands to allow subdivision arising from various transactions, including the division of inherited land among siblings and other ownership transfers. The policy called for allowing administrative subdivision of all agricultural plots upon request, to enable co-owners to obtain individual land titles. New land surveying guide A new land surveying standards guide has been developed to ensure accuracy in land demarcation and help resolve boundary disputes, according to the National Land Authority. ALSO READ: Kigali, Bugesera, Nyagatare, and Musanze top list of land dispute hotspots The Cadastral Surveying Procedure Manual brings together best practices, legal standards and modern technology to ensure that land surveys are accurate and consistent, addressing long-standing inconsistencies in boundary demarcation. Before the release of the manual, Rwanda’s land surveying practices were affected by inconsistencies, outdated techniques and a lack of harmonised procedures. The new manual introduces standardised processes, requiring surveyors to follow a detailed, step-by-step approach—from preparation and fieldwork to data documentation and submission through the Irembo platform. It also promotes the use of modern technology, including high-accuracy tools such as Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) receivers, total stations and laser scanners. The government’s ambitious goal of resolving boundary correction issues by 2027 will rely heavily on efficient and standardised surveying processes. Rwanda currently operates 10 Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS), which provide real-time GNSS correction data for high-precision land surveys. These stations are part of the Rwanda GeoNet system and are strategically located across the country to receive satellite signals continuously. Technical guidelines recommend placing one CORS station every 70 to 100 kilometres, depending on terrain and network density. This suggests that Rwanda may require between 15 and 18 CORS stations to achieve full national coverage and system redundancy.

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Land surveying faces backlog of over 50,000 pending applications