The Netherlands has expressed satisfaction with the quality of work done in Sèmè-Podji, Benin, as part of the national cadastre registration process. A delegation from the Dutch Embassy, accompanied by representatives from the World Bank and Kadaster International, visited Sèmè-Podji on November 4 to assess the progress made. The visit aimed to evaluate the results obtained by the commune and explore future prospects.
The national cadastre registration operations in Sèmè-Podji are being carried out under the supervision of the National Agency for Domain and Land (Andf), with financial support from the Netherlands. The project has made significant progress, with 47,067 plots registered in the cadastre, covering an area of 6,870 hectares, between 2022 and 2023. Notably, 11% of the registered plots belong to women.
The project has also generated and distributed 14,929 Certificates of Cadastre (Cec) free of charge to presumed property owners. The mayor of Sèmè-Podji, Thomas Singbo, welcomed this progress, highlighting the visible impact on modernizing land management in the commune. The introduction of the cadastre and Cec has helped to address land conflicts, which were previously frequent due to the lack of reliable land archives.
Beneficiaries of the Cec have reported positive outcomes, including increased access to bank loans and improved family inheritance security. One beneficiary mentioned that obtaining the Cec allowed them to increase their loan from 500,000 to 2 million FCFA. The project's success has encouraged the mayor to request an extension to the other three arrondissements in his commune.
However, challenges persist, including the need to strengthen the commune's capacity to update data and ensure the effective use of the national e-land platform, e-foncier Bénin. The project manager, Damien N'Lédji Gbédji, emphasized that a cadastre is essential for the commune's development and called for the completion of land subdivisions in areas where work is not yet finished.
The Dutch Ambassador to Benin, Joris Jurriëns, and the World Bank representative, André Teyssier, have expressed their satisfaction with the progress made. The World Bank has launched a similar project, "Terra Bénin," which aims to cover 14 new communes, with the possibility of expanding to 30 more. This project is expected to help Benin achieve 56 communes with complete cadastre coverage out of 77.
The dynamic approach to modernizing Benin's land sector has been praised by Paula Dijkstra, Director of Kadaster International, as unique globally, with two major projects being implemented simultaneously. The progress made in Sèmè-Podji serves as an inspiration for future projects, demonstrating the potential for successful land registration and management in Benin.
Key points
- 47,067 plots have been registered in the cadastre in Sèmè-Podji, covering an area of 6,870 hectares.
- The project has generated and distributed 14,929 Certificates of Cadastre (Cec) free of charge to presumed property owners.
- The World Bank has launched a similar project, "Terra Bénin," aiming to cover 14 new communes, with the possibility of expanding to 30 more.
