Who Really Owns PNG’s Land? And Why It Matters for Development.

Approximately 97% of land in PNG is customarily owned, with only 3% owned by the state. However in Port Moresby, traditional Motu Koita landowners have lost nearly 70% of their land over generations through government processes, policies and landowner decisions.

As the principal owner of Nova Lawyers, Nou Vada, he warns that the loss of traditional land by Motu Koita landowners could become a national trend if stronger intervention and awareness are not prioritised.

Meanwhile, land remains one of the country’s biggest development challenges. This issue stems largely from the country’s two major infrastructural tenures, Public infrastructure development and Private sector development. 

Both developments are heavily influenced and often restricted by customary land ownership.

Here’s some simple methods to follow when you invest in Land;

• First of fall, as a developer or person of interest, you must know that without proper land registration, development cannot proceed.
• Banks, for instance, will only finance projects secured against registered mortgages, something that is not possible on unregistered customary land.
• The two types of Land registrations systems, the Voluntary Customary Land Registration and State Lease Registration. 
• Meanwhile, VCLR titles are not bankable because compared to a state lease registered land it is easier to enforce and more secure for mortgage arrangements.

There are two types of customary certificates of title are, 

1. Titles vested through Incorporated Land Group and; 
2. Titles obtained via a conversion order

Banks in Papua New Guinea accept only state leases for finances.

What needs to be improved and fix land title issues in Papua New Guinea,

• PNG needs streamlined systems that work together, this includes efficient pathways between the systems of customary land registration and state leased land registration.
• The Government should design stronger policies based on realistic development outcomes.
• Use a system that can allow collaboration among landowners, developers and government agencies. 

Mr Nou Vada, in a recent interview says, recent legislative reforms aim to make state leases more accessible, thus, it remains unclear whether these amendments will be effective in practice.

Investing in education is central to solving PNG’s land issues. Countries such as Singapore and Australia have prospered because their citizens understand processes, governance structures, and sustainable resource use.

PNG’s future success will depend on improved education and awareness in land processes, stronger technical understanding of registration systems, informed landowner decision making, and good governance.