The government is set to spend Rwf2.2 billion to correct land boundary errors and fully automate land services on Irembo platform as part of a broader national effort to reduce land disputes and streamline land administration. The initiative which targets 825 villages across the country comes amid persistent challenges in land demarcation; particularly due to the use of inconsistent mapping technologies during earlier phases of land registration. Speaking to the Parliamentary Committee on State Budget and Patrimony, on May 13, the Minister of Environment, Valentine Uwamariya said the National Land Authority (NLA) assessed the situation and confirmed the need for large-scale corrections. ALSO READ: Land disputes now resolved differently pursuant to new land law in Rwanda “We found that many of the discrepancies in boundaries stem from the use of different technologies over time. That’s why we are now deploying a harmonized, technology-driven strategy to correct these issues by 2028,” she said. The plan includes deploying 10 GPS stations across the country to enhance accuracy, with land boundary corrections expected to reach within a 1–5 cm margin of error. Districts such as Nyagatare, Bugesera, and the City of Kigali, have already budgeted for the necessary tools. Others, including Kayonza and Kirehe, are working with partners to accelerate the process. The minister added: “We are prioritizing areas with the most urgent problems, each district is responsible for identifying and addressing its boundary errors to ensure data-driven planning.” The government is also enhancing capacity to handle the growing number of land service requests on the Irembo platform. Since the introduction of digital land services, over 26,000 cases have been filed online. ALSO READ: How automation of 10 land services solved accessibility issues Despite the progress, about 13 percent of the country’s demarcated land, roughly 1.37 million plots remain provisionally registered under the government largely because the rightful owners either failed to claim the land or remain unknown. To further modernize land management, the ministry is also upgrading the Land Administration Information System (LAIS), finalizing district land use master plans for six remaining districts, and investing Rwf2.3 billion to strengthen compliance with these plans using satellite technology. “We want to be able to detect issues before they grow, technology will help us do that,” she stated. In response to rising land market speculation, the government is also investing Rwf1 billion to create a national land value data platform and regulatory framework. This aims to bring transparency to land pricing and reduce the influence of informal brokers. ALSO READ: How private notaries have eased land ownership transfer services “The cost of land has risen drastically due to speculation. We introduced a land value dashboard to inform citizens of fair prices, and we plan to expand its functionality,” she explained. Demand for land services has increased fivefold in the last three years, she said.
