NLA Halts Power-of-Attorney Land Transfers to Curb Fraud, Eyes Digital E-Notary

The move comes after multiple incidents in which individuals impersonated landowners to sell property. One notable case involved Abayo Gift Nelson, who on March 10, 2025, bought an 18,000-square-meter plot for $165,000 from people who falsely claimed to own the land, providing documents that included a forged passport.

“This suspension is a precautionary measure to protect citizens and ensure land security,” said NLA Director General Grace Nishimwe on Oct. 28, 2025, speaking before the parliamentary committee on Land, Agriculture, Livestock, and Environment.

Under the previous system, landowners who could not appear in person could authorize others to complete transactions on their behalf. Fraudsters exploited this mechanism by forging documents, notary seals, and even cash receipts.

The NLA plans to address these risks with a new digital e-notary platform, which is expected to be operational in early 2026. Each notary will have a unique digital account linked to a phone number, ensuring only verified users can process transactions.

“Once the e-notary system is in place, we can safely resume power-of-attorney land transfers with much stronger safeguards,” Nishimwe said. “The new platform will make it virtually impossible to forge documents or manipulate the process.”

Rwandans living abroad will still be able to request special permission to authorize representatives for land services during the suspension. The initiative is part of broader efforts to modernize Rwanda’s land administration system and protect citizens’ property rights.