Mandate & Functions - National Land Commission

Legal Foundation

The National Land Commission derives its authority from the following legal instruments:

National Land Commission Act, 2022 (Act No. 19 of 2022)

The principal legislation establishing the NLC as the statutory body responsible for land administration and governance in Sierra Leone. The Act provides the Commission with comprehensive powers and functions for regulating, managing, and coordinating all land matters nationwide.

Customary Land Rights Act, 2022

Companion legislation that provides recognition, protection, and recording of customary land rights, while assuring women's, families' and communities' rights to land. The CLRA empowers the NLC to regulate, record, and safeguard customary land rights.

1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone

Affirms that sovereign ownership of land resides in the people, exercised through state institutions in trust for citizens. Provides the constitutional foundation for land governance in Sierra Leone.

National Land Policy, 2015

Sets out the overall framework for sustainable land governance, equity, and transparency, while recommending institutional reforms to improve land tenure and administration. The NLC is responsible for implementing this policy framework.

Core Mandate

Single Coordinating Authority

The NLC is established as the single coordinating authority for land administration in Sierra Leone, with the mandate to eliminate duplication, enhance transparency, and build public trust in land governance.

As custodian of the people's land rights, the NLC is mandated to ensure transparency, accountability, inclusiveness, and sustainability in the management of state, public, and customary lands across the country.

Section 4 of the NLC Act, 2022

"The Commission shall have the following functions: to manage and administer state and public lands, regulate land acquisition and transactions, maintain land records, oversee land valuation, and facilitate equitable access to land."

Key Functions & Responsibilities

As outlined in Section 4 of the National Land Commission Act, 2022

Land Inventory & Registration

Take inventory of private, government and public lands
Maintain a comprehensive and updated register of government and public lands
Establish and maintain a system of registration of title to land throughout Sierra Leone

Survey Standards & Training

Set rules and standards for conducting examination for persons wishing to be enrolled as pupil surveyors and licensed surveyors
Set standards for the training and accreditation of para-surveyors and specialist paralegals

Land Use Planning & Oversight

Provide oversight responsibility in monitoring land use planning throughout the country
Provide recommendations on national land use, planning and capability

Dispute Resolution

Establish grievance redress mechanisms, including, when necessary, Land Adjudication Tribunals to adjudicate land title disputes prior to registration of title

Financial Management

Raise funds to support the implementation of the functions of the Commission

Information Management

Maintain an effective land information system for public and state lands
Conduct research that informs policy design for the management and administration of land across Sierra Leone

Decentralized Structures

Section 32 of the NLC Act, 2022

"The Commission shall establish District Land Commissions in each district to ensure decentralization of land governance and bring services closer to communities."

District Land Commissions (DLCs)

Established in all 16 districts of Sierra Leone, DLCs are responsible for implementing NLC functions at the district level. Each DLC mirrors the NLC's functions and serves as the hub for:

Land allocation and titling
Conflict resolution and ADR
Oversight of local land committees
Revenue mobilization (land taxes, service fees)

Chiefdom Land Committees (CLCs)

Anchored in the CLRA 2022, CLCs manage customary land governance at the chiefdom level. Their functions include:

Recording and registration of customary land rights
Safeguarding gender equity in land allocation
Preventing illegal land sales and land grabbing
Supporting dispute prevention and mediation

Village/Town Land Committees

At the community level, these committees provide grassroots participation in land administration. Their roles include:

Documenting customary land rights and community decisions
Supporting systematic registration and adjudication processes
Acting as entry points for grievances and disputes

Regulatory Responsibilities

Regulation of Land Transactions

The NLC regulates all land transactions to ensure compliance with legal requirements, prevent fraudulent activities, and maintain transparency in the land market.

Land Valuation Standards

Establishing and enforcing standards for land valuation to ensure fair market value assessment for taxation, compensation, and transaction purposes.

Title Registration System

Operating the national land title registry and overseeing systematic registration and integration of statutory and customary land records.

Professional Standards

Setting and enforcing professional standards for land surveyors, valuers, and other land professionals operating in Sierra Leone.

Coordination & Partnership Role

The NLC serves as the central coordinating body for all land governance institutions in Sierra Leone, working with:

Government Ministries & Agencies

Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning (MLHCP), Ministry of Finance, Office of National Security, Environmental Protection Agency, and others.

Traditional Authorities

National Council of Paramount Chiefs (NCPC), chiefdom councils, and village land committees for customary land governance.

Civil Society Organizations

Women's land rights groups, farmer associations, advocacy NGOs for community awareness and accountability.

Development Partners

World Bank (SLLAP project), FAO, UN-Habitat, AfDB, and other donors providing technical and financial support.

Coordinating Land Governance Nationwide

Legal Mandate & Functions