Expropriation of land in Cameroon for public purposes shall be pronounced by decree on completion of the procedure defined by the present ordinance (1974 Ordinance governing land tenure in Cameroon). By the said decree, existing titles over the land in question shall be extinguished and the land thus declared free shall be registered in the name of the state of Cameroon. The interest authority shall take possession six months from the date of signature of the decree. Provided that such period may be reduced to three months if the expropriation is declared urgent.
No building permit may be issued under the pain of being declared void in the public interest after notification of the decree to the Mayor.
Expropriation for a public purpose shall only affect private property which satisfies the categories of land in Article 2 of the 1974 Ordinance to establish rules governing land tenure in Cameroon.
Procedure for Compensation
Expropriation shall confer the right to monetary compensation. The authority benefiting from the expropriation may replace monetary compensation for lands with compensation in kind of the same value.
Compensation for expropriation shall be related to the direct, immediate, and certain material damage caused by the eviction.
Compensation for expropriation shall comprise the following;
- The value of the buildings and other installations is calculated by the valuation commission,
- The value of the undeveloped land is calculated as follows;
- For urban lands officially allocated subject to pay compensation may not exceed the official price of public lands of the particular town center.
- In case of lands held by virtue of a normal transaction under ordinary law, compensation shall be the purchase price to which shall be added the ancillary costs of purchase and of obtaining title.
- In the case of lands held by virtue of a customary tenure under which a land certificate has been issued, compensation may exceed the amount of the expenses incurred by the issue of the certificate.
The compensation procedure is subject to Article 13 of Ordinance No. 74-3 of 6th July 1974 concerning the procedure governing expropriation in Cameroon.