Malawi's Ministry of Lands Promotes Sectional Title Schemes to Maximize Land Usage

Malawi: In light of the increasing population and limited land availability, the Ministry of Lands in Malawi is promoting Sectional Title Schemes as a way to maximize land usage while accommodating a large number of people on one piece of land, write Monica Tambala and Eunice Disi, MANA.

These schemes involve the division of buildings into sections and the acquisition of separate ownership in those sections.

Two or more people can pool their resources to build and share property in apartments for residential and/or business use.

Deputy Minister of Lands, Deus Gumba, stated at a press briefing on Friday that these schemes help in maximizing land use and foster cooperation and cohesion among Malawians.

However, Gumba also noted that land will not be granted or sold to non-citizens of Malawi, and any existing grants or leases in favour of non-citizens will only be valid until their expiration.

The new land laws, which were passed in March 2022 and became operational in July of that year, also require planning permission for any land development activities and prohibit the sale of any piece of land that is not registered in the seller's name.

The Ministry of Lands is conducting awareness and sensitization campaigns to inform the public about the amended laws.