A total of 364,569 land boundary corrections have been recorded since 2020, as discrepancies dating back to Rwanda's initial land registration exercise continue to emerge when properties are transferred, subdivided or developed, according to the National Land Authority (NLA).

The corrections involve adjusting recorded plot boundaries where information in the land registry does not correspond with what is found on the ground. In some cases, the discrepancies only become apparent when landowners seek to sell, subdivide or develop their property.

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The 364,569 boundary corrections are part of 1,842,781 land-record updates carried out between 2020 and 2026.

The updates include boundary corrections, subdivision of existing plots and first-time land registrations. Of the total, 992,376 involved the subdivision of existing parcels, while 485,836 were first registrations.

Alexis Rutagengwa, Head of the Land Use Management and Mapping Department at NLA, said some of the discrepancies can be traced to challenges encountered during the systematic land registration exercise carried out between 2009 and 2023.

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According to Rutagengwa, identifying and demarcating parcel boundaries was difficult in some areas, particularly where banana plantations and forests made boundaries difficult to distinguish from aerial imagery.

"Some of the discrepancies only become apparent later when landowners seek to subdivide, transfer or develop their property. Complaints currently include cases where landowners are uncertain about parcel boundaries, differences in the recorded size or configuration of a parcel, and situations where cadastral records do not match what is found on the ground,” he said.

Some disputes also arise when neighbouring landowners disagree over the exact boundaries separating their properties.

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Rutagengwa said boundary discrepancies are not confined to any particular district or province. However, the number of cases recorded in a given area can be influenced by historical registration discrepancies, increased land transactions and subdivisions, development pressure, and physical conditions at the time of registration.

Beyond responding to individual applications from landowners, NLA is undertaking systematic corrections in areas where broader cadastral discrepancies have been identified.

Staffing constraints

Rutagengwa said limited staffing remains an operational challenge, given the volume and complexity of cases requiring technical verification.

"Limited staffing capacity is one of the current operational constraints. The approved structures at NLA and District One Stop Centres provide for a relatively small number of staff in relation to the volume and complexity of land services being handled,” he said.

"The situation is further affected by current recruitment restrictions and challenges in filling vacant positions, which constrain available capacity for technical review, cadastral verification and dispute resolution.”

To ease pressure on public land services, Rwanda has expanded the role of licensed private surveyors and private notaries in land-service delivery.

"They support landowners through the Irembo platform, allowing many applications to be initiated and processed digitally without necessarily requiring manual submission and handling of physical files,” Rutagengwa said.

Two approaches to boundary corrections

NLA is using a dual approach to cadastral corrections, aimed at addressing existing cases while preventing similar discrepancies from accumulating.

Under the demand-driven approach, individual landowners can initiate boundary correction applications with the assistance of licensed private surveyors through established land-service channels.

The systematic approach, meanwhile, involves NLA identifying and prioritising specific cells where broader cadastral discrepancies require coordinated correction.

"Under the demand-driven approach, landowners can initiate boundary correction applications with the support of licensed private surveyors through established land-service channels. Under the systematic approach, the NLA identifies and prioritizes specific cells where wider cadastral discrepancies require coordinated correction,” Rutagengwa said.

The decentralisation and digitalisation of land services have also made the process more accessible, with services available at cell, sector and district levels. Licensed private surveyors and notaries can support applications through Irembo, reducing reliance on manual processing and physical files.

NLA is also continuing to handle land-boundary litigation through its administrative decision-making process. Its immediate focus is on resolving 40 pending litigation cases while continuing systematic cadastral updates and improving the quality of cadastral data.

Over 730,000 transactions in 2026

The corrections come amid growing demand for land services.

As of October 7, 2026, a total of 730,887 land transactions had been approved during the year, with transfers through voluntary sale and cadastral subdivisions accounting for the largest share.

Rutagengwa said the continuing challenge is to maintain accurate cadastral information and address historical discrepancies while responding to growing demand for land services within the authority's available technical and financial capacity.

"The pace of this work will depend on the identification of discrepancies, availability of qualified staff and budgetary resources,” he said.