The Ministry Lands, Housing and Urban Development has warned property owners against fraudsters allegedly using claims about a new land-title migration exercise to obtain genuine certificates of title.
According to the ministry, there is no government requirement for owners of land titles issued before 2020 to surrender their certificates for updating or migration by the Surveys and Mapping department.
The ministry urges the public not to hand over original certificates of title to anyone making such demands.
In a public notice signed by the ministry’s spokesman Dennis Obbo on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, the ministry explained that land owners are not required to take any action as a result of the alleged migration exercise.
It said the digitisation of Uganda’s land records between 2010 and 2013 was carried out using original registry copies held by the authorities. Landowners were not required to submit their personal copies of certificates of title during that process.
The ministry has directed members of the public who want to check their land information to use the official Uganda National Land Information System, known as UGNLIS, through its app or online portal.
Land disputes have long been a source of conflict in Uganda, driven by overlapping claims, unclear boundaries, inadequate documentation and allegations of fraudulent transfers. In some cases, disputes have involved forged documents or attempts to obtain titles through false information.
The authorities have also urged members of the public to verify ownership and parcel information through official channels before entering into land transactions.
The lands ministry said people seeking to verify their parcel details should use UGNLIS rather than rely on individuals claiming to be acting on behalf of Surveys and Mapping or the ministry.
Land fraud in Uganda has escalated into a structural crisis, heavily impacting individual buyers, vulnerable communities, and real estate investors. According to data from the State House Investors’ Protection Unit and the 2025 Annual Crime Report, reported land fraud cases jumped 67%, rising from 397 cases in 2024 to 663 cases in 2025.
According to Ministry of Lands Spokeman Dennis Obbo says fraudsters often cooperate with corrupt officials within the Ministry of Lands or District Land Boards to create duplicate titles or forge the signatures and national identities of the real land owners
He further says Unlicensed land brokers frequently sell “ghost land,” or properties they have no legal mandate to sell, taking money from unsuspecting victims before disappearing.
“Unscrupulous real estate firms sometimes forcefully acquire unregistered or customary land by striking heavily under-compensated, coercive deals with locals. Some buyers purposefully under-declare the actual purchase price on transfer documents to avoid paying government taxes. Under Ugandan law established by landmark Supreme Court cases, this qualifies as fraud and can void the entire land transfer,”Obbo Stressed.
The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development recently suspended the routine issuance of Special Certificates of Title for three months following growing complaints of land fraud, double titling and manipulation of succession processes.
Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba announced the suspension on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, saying it will allow the ministry to review procedures governing the replacement of lost or destroyed land titles and investigate reported abuses.
She said the decision followed complaints from registered landowners, financial institutions, traditional institutions, administrators and beneficiaries of estates, among other stakeholders.
Ministry of Lands Directive on Rampant Land Fraud
The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development hereby issues a stern warning to the public against fraudsters falsely claiming that land titles issued before 2020 require an update or migration by Surveys and Mapping. Do not surrender your certificate of title.
No Public Action Required: When the Ministry digitized its land records between 2010 and 2013, it relied strictly on original registry copies; no landowners were asked to submit their personal copies.
If you need to check or verify your parcel details, use the official UGNLIS app or website portal for fast, instant, and up-to-date information.
