Africa’s Path to Fairer Land Rights

Originally published on GIZ Akzente International

Secure land rights are a foundation for peace, development, and sustainable growth. Across Africa, unclear land ownership and weak governance systems often limit investment and fuel disputes. To address these challenges, the Network of Excellence on Land Governance in Africa (NELGA) – an initiative of the African Union supported by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) – is working to strengthen education, research, and policy dialogue on land governance.

NELGA brings together more than 70 universities and research institutions across the continent. It focuses on four core objectives: improving land governance education and training, promoting networking among African experts, supporting evidence-based policy research, and strengthening data-driven reforms.

The impact is already visible. 29 study programmes have been updated in 23 countries, and NELGA experts are influencing policy reforms in Ghana, Namibia, Chad, and Senegal, among others. Through its collaboration with the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), over 160 scholarships have been awarded to African scholars, empowering young professionals like Frieda Nangolo from Namibia, whose NELGA-supported studies opened new career opportunities in land and spatial sciences.

By connecting research with policy and practice, NELGA is helping shape Africa’s journey toward fairer, more secure land rights – a key step toward achieving the African Union’s Agenda 2063 vision: “The Africa We Want.”

Read the full article on Africa’s path to fairer land rights | GIZ